By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, MAY 26, 2013: DEVELOPING on its vision of “Empowering residents of India with a unique identity and a digital platform to authenticate anytime, anywhere”, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has unveiled three new Aadhaar-Enabled Services and announced the establishment of first set of permanent enrolment centres (Aadhaar Kendras). The services that were launched yesterday are Authentication services using Iris, Authentication service using One Time Pin and eKYC (Electronic- Know Your Customer) service.

Launching the services, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, said, “The Aadhaar authentication and eKYC services launched today will give a boost to the use of the Aadhaar identity platform for authenticating the identity of people. This is a transformational initiative, and I am sure the Aam Aadmi will start reaping the benefits of the Aadhaar project in the near future.”

Authentication and eKYC services of UIDAI will help residents avail benefits of Aadhaar-linked services and give public/private entities an economical, secure and flexible mode of verifying user identity.

Underlining the key role these services will play in the future, Mr Nandan Nilekani, Chairman UIDAI said, “This is a major step in the direction of enabling Aadhaar holders to avail various services by using the Aadhaar identity platform. It also makes sense for various user agencies (public or private) as they can identify a beneficiary/customer using a fast, secure, economical and paperless format.”

a. Authentication service using Iris: Residents will be able to authenticate identity for availing Aadhaar-enabled services by providing a combination of Aadhaar number + Iris image

b. Authentication service using One Time Pin (OTP): Residents will be able to authenticate identity for availing Aadhaar-enabled services by providing a combination of Aadhaar number + One Time Pin, received on their registered mobile number

c. eKYC service: Electronic verification of resident's identity & address at his request and/or with his consent. Paperless, secure and economical.

d. Aadhaar Kendra ( Permanent Enrolment Centre): Permanent enrolment Centres will facilitate enrolment of residents left out during the camps organized by the Registrars in the past. The centres will also serve as Update Centres - both for biometric and demographic update.

Aadhaar Iris Authentication: is a process wherein Aadhaar number, along with the resident's Iris Image is submitted to UIDAI's Central Identities Data Repository (CIDR) for verification; the CIDR verifies whether the Iris data submitted matches the Iris data available in CIDR, which had been collected during enrolment, and responds with a “yes/no” reply.

Iris-based authentication of residents is a state-of-the-art authentication service which enables an Aadhaar holder to identify himself/herself using the Iris image. The service can be availed of by all those who have an Aadhaar number including the old, blind and those who may have undergone cataract surgery. India is the first country in the world to offer a public Iris Authentication platform and enablement of Iris Authentication for about 350 million residents, who currently hold Aadhaar numbers. This is indeed a ground-breaking technology and service development. UIDAI has conducted proof of concept (PoC) exercises involving Iris technology and concluded that more than 99% of residents could be reliably authenticated.

Aadhaar One Time Pin (OTP) Authentication: The OTP service enables Aadhaar based authentication of all residents who registered a mobile telephone at the time of enrolment or subsequent updation. With Aadhaar OTP, residents will be able to authenticate themselves using their mobile telephone anytime, anywhere on a self service mode without having to use biometric authentication device, which requires assisted service.

OTP authentication is a two-step process involving the mobile of a resident. In the first step a request for OTP, against an Aadhaar, is sent to UIDAI's Central Identities Data Repository (CIDR). In response, CIDR sends a newly generated random OTP on the resident's mobile/email. In the second step Aadhaar number, along with OTP is submitted to CIDR for verification; the CIDR verifies whether the OTP data submitted matches the generated OTP data available in CIDR and responds with a “yes/no” reply.

User agencies that take advantage of Aadhaar authentication can use OTP to provide a single factor authentication, or in combination with biometrics to achieve a two factor authentication. This would offer higher flexibility to Authentication User Agencies in terms of deploying appropriate modality based on factors like demographics, service delivery platform and/or domain security requirements.

eKYC: The eKYC service offered by UIDAI will enable individuals to authorise service providers to receive electronic copy of their proof of identity and address. This is a first of its kind service, on any public platform. The service makes KYC instantaneous, totally secure and paperless while enhancing privacy of data. It brings business efficiency and opens doors to innovative service provision in a manner never experienced before on a comparable scale.

eKYC service can be deployed by different agencies to verify a resident's identity and address. Only DEMOGRAPHIC information (Name, Address, Date of Birth, Gender, Photograph & Mobile Number) that is collected during Aadhaar enrolment will be shared, at the request of, and/or with the consent of the Aadhaar number holder.

Permanent Enrolment Centre: Aadhaar Kendras or Permanent enrolment Centres will facilitate the enrolment of residents left out during the camps organized by the Registrars in the past. They would also serve as Update Centres – for resident who wish to update biometric or demographic data.

Aadhaar Kendras will be located in the Common Services Centres, government buildings in block/mandal/tehsil/municipal ward office or in the official premises of the Registrar or such premises as may be expressly approved by the Registrars. Residents can also seek information about their Aadhaar generation status or get e-Aadhaar printed at these centres.

Registrars may choose to charge a convenience fee not exceeding Rs.10 for printing e-Aadhaar letter and Rs.15 for update requests. Aadhaar Enabled Service Delivery is currently or will soon be linked to various government schemes such as MNREGA wage payments, PDS distribution, payment of social security benefits such as old-age payments, distribution of LPG subsidy etc. Currently over 400 million residents have enrolled for an Aadhaar number, while about 350 million Aadhaar numbers have been issued.