NEW DELHI: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has deactivated more than 2 crore Aadhaar numbers belonging to deceased individuals as part of a nationwide effort to keep its database accurate and up to date, the Ministry of Electronics & IT said on Wednesday.
The authority said this clean-up drive is important to prevent identity fraud and stop the misuse of Aadhaar numbers for welfare benefits.
To identify deceased individuals, the UIDAI has sourced data from multiple agencies, including the Registrar General of India (RGI), state governments, Union Territories, the Public Distribution System, and the National Social Assistance Programme.
The UIDAI is also planning to work with banks and other financial institutions to collect similar data in the future.
The authority clarified that Aadhaar numbers are never reassigned to anyone else. Once a person dies, it is necessary to deactivate their Aadhaar number to ensure it is not used illegally.
Earlier this year, UIDAI launched a feature called "Reporting of death of a family member" on the myAadhaar portal.
The service is currently available in 25 states and Union Territories that are using the Civil Registration System.
Efforts are underway to integrate the remaining states and UTs, the authority said.
To report a death, a family member must authenticate themselves on the portal and then enter the Aadhaar number, Death Registration Number, and other basic details of the deceased person.
The UIDAI reviews the submitted information, and after verification, proceeds with the deactivation of the Aadhaar number.
It has urged Aadhaar holders to report the death of their family members on the myAadhaar portal after obtaining the official death certificate.
This, the authority said, will help maintain a more accurate and fraud-free Aadhaar database across the country.