Click on Google and there are some websites offering to get Aadhaar card printed on PVC cards by paying anything between Rs 50-200, plus packing, handling and shipping charges, sales tax, payment gateway charges etc. On the other side, the poorer sections, with no access to technology, are at the mercy of internet cafes, some of which charge Rs 50-90 for black & white or colour prints.

Taking note of this trend, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on Monday cautioned people not to fall to prey to unscrupulous entities and advised them not to share their Aadhaar number or personal details to unauthorised agencies for getting it laminated, or printed on plastic card to protect their privacy.

The authority noted that some entities were charging anywhere between Rs 50 to Rs 200 for printing Aadhaar on a plastic card in the name of smart card, and even for simply laminating the downloaded version of Aadhaar.

“The Aadhaar card or the downloaded Aadhaar card printed on ordinary paper is perfectly valid for all uses. If a person has a paper Aadhaar card, there is absolutely no need to get his/her Aadhaar card laminated or obtain a plastic Aadhaar card or so-called SMART Aadhaar card by paying money. There is no concept such as smart Aadhaar card,” Director General & Mission Director of UIDAI, Ajay Bhushan Pandey, said in an official release.

The UIDAI said in case of loss of Aadhaar card, a person can download it free of cost from https://eaadhaar.uidai.gov.in/.

“The print out of the downloaded Aadhaar, even in black and white form, is as valid as the original Aadhaar letter sent by UIDAI. There is absolutely no need to print it on plastic card or get it laminated,” it added.

In case one still wants to get his Aadhaar card laminated or printed on plastic card, it can be done “only at authorised Common Service Centres or Aadhaar Permanent Enrolment Centres by paying no more than the prescribed rate, which is not more than Rs 30”, it said.

E-commerce companies, such E-bay, Flipkart, Amazon, have also been asked to not allow their merchants to collect Aadhaar information from the general public for printing Aadhaar card, “as collecting such information or unauthorised printing of Aadhaar card or aiding such persons in any manner may amount to a criminal offence punishable with imprisonment under Indian Penal Code and also Chapter VI of The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016.”

Just a week ago, the UIDAI had announced that it had generated one billion Aadhaar numbers so far, achieving 93 per cent coverage of the entire population.

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