Tougher times for senior citizens and physically disabled people for Aadhaar enrolment
Posted on: 13/Jul/2013 12:34:38 PM
The Aadhaar project covers every resident above the age of five. Demographic details and biometric parameters — fingerprints and iris images — are collected and an Aadhaar number issued. This number is then linked to bank accounts to provide benefits under various schemes, including LPG subsidy.
Now Aadhaar enrolment is picking up momentum in the city but at the same it is posing a great difficulty to elderly and sickly people because of the long queues and uncooperative staff. One of such elderly person said that he is not in a position to walk and still he cannot forfeit the Government subsidies. Like this person there are many complaints from sickly people and physically disabled people. Most of the centers, says Tamil Nadu Handicapped Federation Charitable Trust secretary T K M Deepak, are not disabled-friendly. "There are no sign language interpreters and the applications are not in Braille.” There is little information on the websites of the NPR or the Unique Identification Authority of India.
Several other states have better schemes to help the elderly and the disabled, say residents. In Mumbai, mobile vans are provided to cover old age and homes for the disabled, while Bangalore has exclusive centres for such people.
In Chennai, data is being collected in Royapuram, Tondiarpet, Kodambakkam, Teynampet, Anna Nagar, Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar, Ambattur and Adyar zones. For further queries, residents may contact: 044 - 24912993 or fax: 24911992.
