Director (census operations) Varsha Joshi in Patna. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

The Aadhaar card-based direct cash transfer scheme would be launched in three Bihar districts — Arwal, Sheohar and Sheikhpura — on July 1. Varsha Joshi, director (census operations), office of the registrar-general of India, was in Patna on Monday to meet chief secretary Ashok Kumar Sinha. Sharing the problems in conducting biometric registration in the state with Piyush Kumar Tripathi, she said the three districts would be covered by mid-June.

What is the significance of NPR-based DCT scheme?

The Aadhaar-based direct cash transfer (DCT) scheme is aimed at direct transfer of cash to beneficiaries’ bank accounts linked with Aadhaar number. When the registration for Aadhaar number is done through National Population Register (NPR), it becomes universally accepted legal permanent address proof of the beneficiary mandated by Citizenship Act, 1955 and Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003.

How the state government co-ordinated in execution of the NPR scheme?

Registration for Aadhaar number is just a part of the NPR. The first stage of collection of biometric data, house-listing and enrolment for NPR was carried out in the state between May 15 and June 28, 2010. The collected data was then given to the department of information and technology, Government of India, for preparing digitised data bank. The digitised data is being used now. The state government has assured us of full co-operation in the process.

What is the stumbling block in the ongoing biometric registration for NPR-based DCT scheme in Bihar?

As of now, the biggest stumbling block in the biometric registration in Bihar for Aadhaar is sourcing of operators. The biometric registration is done only by the operators selected by vendors empanelled with Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). According to estimates, we need around 2,000 operators in the state. At present, we have very few.

What assurance has been given by the state government to overcome the hurdle?

Bihar chief secretary Ashok Kumar Sinha in a meeting held in Patna on Monday has assured us of skill development of prospective operators for getting selected for doing biometric registration for Aadhaar. The state government has said that such training would be done through few of its skill development agencies.

How many beneficiaries would come under the DCT ambit in the three districts to be covered in the first phase?

According to preliminary estimates, the number of beneficiaries in Arwal, Sheikhpura and Sheohar are around 13,000, 7,000 and 7,000, respectively.

When the biometric registration of the DCT beneficiaries to be covered in the first phase would be complete?

Based on the progress made till date, we are expecting the biometric registration for the DCT scheme in all the three districts to be completed by June 15. The beneficiaries are also expected to get their Aadhaar number simultaneously. The Aadhaar letter would arrive in three weeks to a month from the allotment of Aadhaar number.

How many centrally sponsored welfare schemes would be linked to the DCT in the first stage in Bihar?

As of now, around 10 centrally sponsored welfare schemes would be linked to Aadhaar-based DCT scheme in the three districts. Few of these schemes include Janani Suraksha Yojana, National Scheme of Incentives to Girls for Secondary Education, National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme Post and Pre-Metric Scholarship for SC/ST and OBC students among others.

When the complete coverage of the NPR scheme is expected in Bihar?

Based on progress made till date, we have targeted to complete the biometric registration of 10,38,04,637 normal residents in the 38 districts of Bihar by March-April, 2014.

What is your message for Bihar residents?

I would urge all the residents of Bihar to get them enrolled and registered under the NPR. Getting covered in the NPR is mandatory according to the Citizenship Act and Rules. Besides, this would also give them Aadhaar number, along with, completely legal permanent address proof.