Understanding the Acronym - UIDAI

The acronym UIDAI stands for the Unique Identification Authority of India. This government agency is in charge of implementing the AADHAAR scheme, which aims to provide a unique identification number to every Indian citizen.

UIDAI plays a crucial role in eliminating duplicate and fraudulent identities. It is headquartered in New Delhi and maintains 8 regional offices across India. It also manages two data centers located in Hebbal, Bengaluru, Karnataka and Manesar, Gurugram, Haryana.

Key Facts about UIDAI

• The UIDAI is a statutory authority and was created by the Indian Government under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on July 12, 2016, as per the provisions of the Aadhaar Act 2016.
• UIDAI is tasked with issuing a 12-digit unique identification number, known as Aadhaar, to all Indian citizens.
• Initially, the UIDAI was set up as an attached office by the Government of India in January 2009, under the Planning Commission, as notified in the Indian Gazette.
• The UIDAI data center is located in the Industrial Model Township (IMT), Manesar. It was inaugurated on January 7, 2013, by the then Chief Minister of Haryana, Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Aadhaar data is stored across approximately 7,000 servers in Manesar & Bengaluru.

Goals of UIDAI

• Provide strong leadership
• Uphold the nation's integrity
• Contribute to nation-building
• Foster a collaborative approach
• Encourage continuous learning and efficiency
• Promote open and transparent governance

The Vision of UIDAI

UIDAI is responsible for the issuance and authentication of Aadhaar, overseeing all stages of the Aadhaar lifecycle, and ensuring the protection of individuals’ identity and authentication records. Below is the core vision of UIDAI.

• To empower Indian citizens with a unique digital identity that can be authenticated anywhere.
• To facilitate efficient and transparent delivery of benefits, subsidies, and services to Indian citizens through unique identity numbers.
• To establish a system for issuing Aadhaar numbers to Indian citizens who have submitted their demographic and biometric details.
• Develop a system for Aadhaar holders to update and authenticate their digital identity.
• To ensure the technological infrastructure is accessible, maintained, and updated.
• Building a sustainable organization to uphold the core vision and values of UIDAI.
• To ensure compliance with the Aadhaar Act by individuals and organizations.
• Formulating strategies and regulations in line with the Aadhaar Act and ensuring its implementation.