Odisha To Begin Aadhaar Registration Of Newborn In Hospital Along With Birth

Bhubaneswar: To facilitate Aadhaar saturation in the 0-5 years age group, the Odisha government has decided to begin enrollment of newborns in hospitals under the Baal Aadhaar initiative.

Initially, the drive will start in around 300 hospitals reporting maximum institutional deliveries, a TNIE report said.

“Though Baal (children) Aadhaar coverage was introduced across the country earlier, Odisha will be the first state to introduce such facility in hospitals,” secretary, Electronics and Information Technology Department, Manoj Mishra told PTI.

Notably, Odisha has received financial assistance of Rs 1.98 crore for procuring Child Enrollment Lite Client (CELC) kits per CHC, two for each SDH and three for each DHH, considering higher density of population in urban areas, for Aadhaar linked birth registration of children in this age group. A total of 549 CELC kits in PHCs, CHCs, SDHs, DHHs and medical colleges, besides AIIMS, for Aadhaar enrollment, the report added.

The blue coloured ‘Baal Aadhaar Card’ will also have a 12 digit unique identification number. The newborns, however, will be enrolled without biometrics and the Aadhaar will be linked with one of the parents. This card will become invalid after the age of 5 and a mandatory biometric update of 10 fingers, iris and facial photograph will be required to reactivate it.

So far, only 14.83 lakh children below five years in Odisha have been enrolled under this initiative rolled out in 2020, which is 36.75 per cent of the total 40.36 lakh, the official added.