Department of Telecom has issued a new directive asking the mobile operators to collect Aadhaar number for new connections and also make the necessary changes to their database so as to accommodate the number in their database.

The directive says that Aadhaar number will be compulsory irrespective of the ID proof the customer submits. DoT has setup a timeline of two months for the operators to make the necessary technical changes. Government is working hand in glove with the stakeholders to accommodate the option of procuring new sim cards using Aadhaar card.

Aadhaar card is also issued for foreign nationals residing in India. This move had been criticized as it can prove to be a much effective gateway for infiltrators from neighboring countries.Home Ministry raised some doubts on the Aadhaar saying that the other ID proofs like the Passport, Driving Licence are universal. The entire Aadhaar card project taken care by UIDAI was under the scanner after it was realized that foreign vendors had been entrusted with the responsibility of handling the data.