Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, chaired a review meeting of the UID Implementation Committee (UIDIC) at the Civil Secretariat, Leh, on April 28 to assess Aadhaar penetration and usage progress across Ladakh.

Assistant Manager, UIDAI Ladakh, Mohamad Taief, presented a detailed status report, highlighting achievements and challenges, particularly concerning the enrolment of children aged 0–5 years. The presentation covered key aspects, including the functioning of Aadhaar centers, department-wise Aadhaar penetration, use of Aadhaar in welfare schemes, status of enrolment kits, mandatory biometric updates (MBUs), and the resolution of Aadhaar-school record mismatches.

It was informed that, as of 2025, UT Ladakh had achieved an Aadhaar generation rate of 87.06%, with 19,615 mandatory biometric updates still pending. The Chief Secretary directed the Education Department to organize MBU camps in schools to expedite the update process. Special attention was drawn to under-covered blocks such as Thiksey, Rong, Nimmo, Saspol, and Tupsho.

While reviewing the progress, Dr. Kotwal emphasized the urgent repair and operationalization of non-functional Aadhaar enrolment kits. He instructed officials to prepare a clear and actionable roadmap to cover the left-out population, prioritizing children and individuals requiring biometric updates.

Bhawna Garg, Director General, UIDAI Regional Office Chandigarh, stressed the importance of digital verifiable certificates, noting that QR code-based, digitally signed documents would significantly streamline the Aadhaar updation and enrolment process.

Furthermore, the Chief Secretary directed officials to ensure the establishment of fixed Aadhaar enrolment locations at key government offices, including SDM and DC offices, with the availability of trained Aadhaar operators, aiming to achieve full Aadhaar saturation across UT Ladakh.

The meeting was attended by Bhawna Garg, DG UIDAI RO Chandigarh; Administrative Secretaries of the Medical and Health Education, Information Technology, Agriculture, School Education, and General Administration Departments of UT Ladakh; District Magistrate Leh; Director of Health Services UT Ladakh; Director and Deputy Director, UIDAI; and other concerned officials.