Several banks are fronting penalties for missing daily ‘Aadhaar’ enrollment targets

In terms of UIDAI notification dated On June 1,2018 all the bank branches with Aadhaar facility will have to ensure at least eight enrolments or updations daily in each branch from July 1 and 12 per day per branch from October 1, and up to 16 from January 1, 2019 onwards.  However, the deadline for the first stage of implementation has now been extended to November 1 instead of October 1. As per the notification, if any of the banks not able to reach UIDAI norms, such bank may have to cough up heavy penalty for the non-compliance. An internal list detailing the banks’ Aadhaar enrolment data shows that ICIC bank (Rs.82 lakh), IOB (Rs.68 lakh), Canara Bank (Rs.64.20 lakh), UCO bank (Rs.57 lakh) are the top defaulters for July in this respect. State owned banks like Corporation Bank, IDBI Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, United Bank of India and Vijaya Bank are among the other state owned banks who have failed to reach the targets.  Among private lenders, HDFC bank, Bandhan Bank, DCB Bank, Dhanlaxmi Bank, Federal Bank, IndusInd Bank and RBL Bank are listed as defaulters. As the above banks were not able to reach the target given, they have to achieve updations of 12 accounts per each branch daily from November 1, if they want to escape from the burden of paying penalties. It is learned that State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank are the two major banks who are fully compliant with the target given to them.

We learn from the reliable sources that the bankers are quiet uneasy about the above developments.  The bank branches are already overburden with various Government schemes is struggling with shortage of manpower. Further, many banks which are placed under prompt corrective action by RBI are not permitted to recruit new staff. They say that adhar enrolling is not their job, but it is simply trusted upon them.  Interestingly, many bankers across the board are agitated by the threatening of UADAI as RBI being banking regulator how UIDAI can bypass RBI and directly threaten to penalise banks for non- compliance of aadhar enrolments. They are also of the view that trend of setting daily targets is ridiculous, as banks can only facilitate the service, not to force customers to do it.

However, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) in one of its recent communication said “UIDAI is free to take action as per provisions of the Aadhaar Act 2016,”