UIDAI Launches Five New Initiatives to Strengthen Aadhaar Services, Security

New Delhi, Sep 30 (KNN) The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) launched five initiatives at the Aadhaar Samvaad stakeholder conference in Kolkata, focusing on Aadhaar authentication, service delivery, security and resident convenience.

More than 600 policymakers, industry representatives, technocrats and professionals participated in the conference, which coincided with the 17th Aadhaar Day. Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada attended as the chief guest.

The five initiatives launched were Face Authentication for the Electronic Public Distribution System (ePDS), SWIK Portal 2.0, the Sub-AUA/Sub-KUA (LITE) Framework, a Token Management System and a revamped UIDAI website.

Face Authentication for ePDS was jointly launched by UIDAI, the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) and the National Informatics Centre (NIC). The consent-based, contactless facility provides an additional authentication option for beneficiaries, including in cases where fingerprint authentication is difficult.

SWIK Portal 2.0 will enable eligible non-government entities to submit proposals for Aadhaar authentication use cases under the Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance framework to the concerned ministries and departments.

The Sub-AUA/Sub-KUA (LITE) Framework will allow eligible government and non-government entities with low-volume authentication requirements to use the infrastructure of an existing AUA/KUA without establishing separate authentication infrastructure.

UIDAI also launched a Token Management System for services at its state and regional offices, wherever applicable.

The revamped UIDAI website was also unveiled. It includes accessibility features such as screen-reader compatibility, adjustable font sizes, improved colour contrast and keyboard navigation.

The website currently supports 13 languages through BHASHINI integration, including English and Hindi. UIDAI said it plans to expand this to 23 languages.

The redesigned website also includes a UIDAI Career Portal for online applications for deputation opportunities.

Jitin Prasada said Aadhaar has become an important component of India’s growth and digital governance, while UIDAI CEO Saurabh Vijay said the new initiatives were focused on resident convenience and the evolving Aadhaar ecosystem.

(KNN Bureau)