Banks link Aadhaar numbers to account through ATM

Over 60 banks have enabled linking of Aadhaar numbers with customers’ bank accounts through ATM kiosks across the country.

Unique identification Authority of India (UIDAI) Assistant Director General Surendra Babu said the facility to link the numbers to bank accounts has been made available at ATM kiosks.
 
One has to log in with the help of ATM PIN and feed the identity number. The same will get linked post verification, he said. The facility is available in English and the regional language. “It is optional and left to the discretion of individual banks,” he said.

Reassuring that this would not hamper privacy, he said data linking was the responsibility of officials above the rank of scale -3 managerial posts.

The verification is done by Remote Aadhaar Sharing Framework (RASF) procedure that UIDAI uses.

RASF will enable officials in respective banks to gain access to basic information, including name, address and photograph of a person that will help the verification process. “No one can access the biometric details,” Babu said.

A senior official of Canara Bank, which provides the facility, said the response has been good. “There are other ways of linking such as through the Internet, call centre, SMS and through website. This is more convenient,” he added.

However, confusion over Aadhaar being mandatory for procuring domestic LPG cylinders at subsidised prices continues, with consumers getting text message reminders to link their cards to bank accounts.

Vinay, a resident of Kengeri, said even after announcements by officials, he continued to receive text messages asking him to provide Aadhaar details to avail himself of domestic cylinders at subsidised prices.

“I get my cylinder from Indane. Each day a new rule is made and it is confusing,” he said.