Aadhaar-based direct cash transfer for social benefits will be rolled out from January 1.
The Government announced on Friday that it will first be rolled out in 51 select districts and then be taken to 18 States from April 1. Finally, the remaining 16 States will covered by April 1, 2014 or even earlier.
This was decided in a meeting of the Executive Committee on Direct Cash Transfers held by the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister along with the Cabinet Secretary.
The 12-digit unique number will be used for making payments for pension, rural job guarantee, public distribution system, and scholarships.
The announcement has come after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh launched the Aadhaar-enabled service delivery in Rajasthan last month.
The Unique Identification Authority of India has generated 21 crore numbers since the issuance of first number on September 29, 2010.
Total enrolment has touched 24 crore now.
UIDAI Chairman Nandan Nilekani said at present every 5{+t}{+h} citizen had a unique ID number.
Now the aim is to reach every third citizen by 2013 and every second citizen will have Aadhaar by 2014.
The authority has been mandated to enrol 60 crore people by 2014.
Aadhaar-enabled payment system will start in 20 districts immediately, where 80 per cent or more population has been covered.
The plan is to achieve the same level of enrolment in 31 districts by December 31.