Linking Aadhar number with Mobile phone number

following are some of the points I wish to suggest for linking mobile number to AADHAR number in a secure way.

For this purpose we require two things with a person

a) Mobile number for life long.
b) Aadhar number

1)Aadhar number is issued by government and finger prints and IRIS scan of a person is already taken while issuing the same. We can fairly assume that Aadhar is issued in a secure way.

2)However, mobile number sale is primarily carried out by private players through their Distributors/Retailers/Point of Sale (POS) network; there is some doubt about bonafide user of mobile number.

3)Mobile number has become critical identity and is being used in numerous financial transactions as well. Hence, it should be ensured that mobile connection is sold to genuine customer. To ensure security & genuineness, only Registered POS/retailer may be allowed to sale SIM cards/Telecom services. (Detailed note on registration of POS/ retailers and possible solution is given in Annexure-I of this document).

4)These registered POS/retailers shall also be given rights to link Aadhar with mobile number.

5)Government needs to develop a secure web application for this purpose, whose access will be given to ‘registered POS/retailer’. (see
Annexure I for details)
6)The web application shall be light weight to run on GPRS or low bandwidth internet speed. Otherwise two variant of the same can be explored.

7)These registered POS/retailers shall be equipped with finger print scanner, computers and connectivity with Aadhar server & TSP database. The customer should be authenticated using his finger print scan before linking his/her mobile number to Aadhar card.

8)Whenever customer’s finger prints are taken, his Aadhar number, name and photo shall be visible to registered POS/retailer (on his computer), so that he can verify the customer there only.

9)Telecom Service providers (TSP) can also devise mechanism to give access of their database to these POS/ retailers so that by entering mobile number of that customer they would be able to verify his name and photograph. Hence POS/retailers would be able to access mobile number details and Aadhar number details at the same time and he can verify name and photograph of the customer.

10)After verification POS shall recommend linking the mobile number with Aadhar number through web application.

11)An OTP can be sent to customer’s mobile number (automatically by web application) which he has to share with POS/retailer. POS/retailer will enter it in the web application to finalize linking process. Once correct OTP is entered, mobile number shall be linked to Aadhar number.

12)Computer and finger print scanner given to these POS/retailers should be subsidized by Government.

13)For all such Aadhar linking POS/retailer shall be given some monetary incentive (Rs.10/20 or as deemed fit).

14)Changing of mobile number linked earlier to Aadhar can also be done by same process as discussed earlier.

15)Once Aadhar card is issued to all individuals, we can make it mandatory to sell SIM card/mobile number only through this Aadhar authentication mechanism.

16)Only one mobile number shall be allowed to link with one Aadhar card.