Unique Identification Authority of India UIDAI

Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is a government agency in New Delhi that serves as the issuing authority for Aadhaar unique identification numbers (UIDs) and cards. The agency has been mandated by the government to develop, identify and set up the necessary infrastructure for issuing Aadhaar cards.

UIDAI works in consultation with the Registrar General of India, which is responsible for census data in India. The agency is headed by the former chairman and co founder of Infosys Ltd, Nandan Nilekani, who has the rank and status of a cabinet minister.The UIDAI was established in 2009 and functions as part of the Planning Commission of India. The agency issues cards with the help of several registrar agencies composed of state owned entities and departments as well as public sector banks and entities such as the Life Insurance Corporation of India. As of this writing, UIDAI has issued 20 crore Aadhaar UID numbers and cards across the country in the past two years. It expects to cover another 40 crore individuals by 2014.