DoT further simplifies the process for linking of Aadhaar with mobile number

PIB press release dated 25th October, 2017

In a bid to expedite compliance of telecom service providers with the Hon. Supreme Court's order dated 6^th February regarding linking of Aadhaar card with mobile number and reverification process of mobile users, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued a comprehensive instruction on Wednesday.

As per the new rules, the DoT has introduced three new methods to link the registered mobile number with Aadhaar i.e. OTP (One Time Password) based, App based and the IVRS facility. These new methods will help subscribers to get their mobile number linked to Aadhaar without visiting the stores of the telcos. For the ease of senior citizens and the people with disability and chronic illness, DoT has also recommended for the re-verification at subscribers’ doorstep. According to the new guidelines, the telecom operators should provide an online mechanism for people to request such service and based on availability schedule the visit and complete the process.

Speaking on the development, Shri Manoj Sinha, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Communications, said “The Aadhaar number system was designed to allow all residents of the country access to critical government services and important information that they may need from time to time. Mobile penetration is increasing rapidly in the country and the subscribers need to be provided with the ease of linking of the Aadhaar number with the mobile number. It is the government’s endeavour to improve convenience and reduce time and energy spent by consumers to accessing government information and services that is their right to access.”

Representative of COAI stated, “The latest clarifications from the DoT are aligned with what the industry, and the subscribers need at this time. While, it will take a little time to implement the directions, we are working closely with the government to improve and enhance the convenience of our consumers for undertaking Aadhaar based e-KYC linking of their mobile number. We are implementing all the necessary processes so as to be able to use the additional methods prescribed including OTP, App based and the IVRS facility. We expect it to get much faster and easier for individual mobile subscribers to comply with the e-KYC norms using their Aadhaar Registered Mobile Number (ARMN).” 

In a circular in August, DoT had given instructions to the telecom service providers to provide iris or fingerprint based authentication of Aadhaar. The new regulations have specified that the telecom service providers must deploy iris readers for this purpose within a reasonable geographical area.  

Further, in keeping with privacy rules, the DoT has mandated that telecom service providers’ agent should not have access to the subscribers’ e-KYC data and only the name and address of the subscribers should be visible. Subscribers can verify or re-verify their mobile numbers from anywhere in the country irrespective of which service area their mobile connection belongs to.

The Wish List

The Wish List by Martina Reilly is a nice heart warming, uplifting book about family relationships, grief, love, redemption etc. The book especially dwells nicely on the havoc wrought upon a young family when the man is into drugs. That is the central theme of the book, plus other redemption stories as well. Tony has a drug problem because of which he is in high debt and is forced to sell his house and settle elsewhere. He has a wife and two young kids. Next door to his new house is a grumpy old man who has his own problems in life following the death of his wife, which he has not been able to forget, thereby neglecting his own two sons, who are now grown-up. The elder son of Tony and Ally, looks upon Jeremy the old man as a Santa who will magically solve all his problems. Initially Jeremy looks upon that as a nuisance to keep away the kid, but increasingly becomes aware of his limitations. There is a coming of age with his own sons as well. Rehab of Tony and his relationship with his own young brother also comes up and also Ally's relationship with her father. So there is grief, mis-understanding all around, redemption, love, courage in plenty. Goodreads 3/5 

The Lock Artist

The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton, is an incredibly beautiful story of a vocally challenged lock artist and his unusual dilemma. The writing by Steve Hamilton is very touching. 18 year old Mike is a mute due to a terrible tragedy that happened 10 years ago. But he is also an expert safe cracker. And that is a talent that many people want, you know, especially of the wrong kind. So he has no choice but to lend his services to the wrong people, he falls in love at one such house. The story is narrated by him so that makes it very surreal, a not speaking person narrating his story. He is also a good at drawing so he sort of explains himself through his drawings. Goodreads 5/5 

The Winter Ghosts

The Winter Ghosts is a novel written by English writer Kate Mosse. Its not a creepy ghost story but more like a historically leaking ghost, I guess all ghosts are leaking in some way or other but this book is interesting. Freddie Watson who is very attached to his brother George and who has not been very well treated by his parents is distraught at the death of his brother. There are constant references to what would George think about, in the book. Freddie is institutionalised also for a few years. The book is set in post World War I scenario. In order to recover from his illness he sets off on a road trip to France, drives through in snow and low visibility and crashes his car into the rocks. When he recovers he stumbles into a village which is seen as celebrating its annual village festival. There he meets Fabrissa and they talk and talk and there is some fighting taking place from where they escape. The next morning he gets up, Fabrissa is gone. Freddie learns of her story of persecution of the Cathers community by the Catholic church. But that happened 700 years ago. Goodreads review 3/5 

Indecent Proposal

Indecent Proposal is a 1993 movie featuring Demi Moore, Robert Redford and Woody Harrelson.  Before writing this blog I checked online, as that feature is easily available these days and found out that Woody Harrelson had been given the Worst Actor Award in the Razzies and the movie itself was nominated for Worst Movie Award. Well, it is not such a bad movie at all. Demi Moore especially sizzles in the movie. She looks beautiful those youthful days. Woody Harrelson in fact has done a fine role. I am sure those who gave him the Razzies would like to change their opinion. Its an uncomplicated story of a millionaire wanting to sleep with a woman for 1 million dollars, which those guys need desperately to fund their dream housing project. He has got money to spare and she has got the assets but what is not reckoned with is the emotional content. I am sure there must have been a shameless copy in Bollywood by somebody with all the songs and dance in it and too much of emotional drama baazi with moms and in laws and bua's and what ever fucking not characters. 

The Exorcist - cult classic

Revisited the 1973 cult classic "The Exorcist" yesterday. It was and still is the greatest horror movie ever made. Don't remember what were my emotions when I saw it first time in 1979 or around but this movie still gives the creeps. Those days Hollywood movies were released in India 5 to 6 years after their first release abroad so that is why we got to see the movie in 1979 or thereabouts, when I was in college. Linda Blair as Regan MacNeil is simply the most powerful devil incarnate ever. None of the latter horror movies ever comes close to this ultimate cult classic. The devil penetration into Regan happens ever so slowly and that is most beautifully done. The first instance we see is when she undergoes a medical examination with Dr.Klein. Then when she suddenly blows out it is most terrifying. She is all raw power when she says "stick your cock up her ass, you motherfucking worthless cocksucker" 

This piece of dialogue when Father Lancester Merrin tries to drive the evil away is epic. 

Father Merrin: I cast you out! Unclean spirit!

Demon: Shove it up your ass, you faggot!

Father Merrin: In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ! It is he who commands you! It is he who flung you from the gates of Heaven to the depths of Hell!

Demon: Fuck him!

Father Merrin: Be gone...

Demon: Fuck him, Karras! Fuck him!

Father Merrin: ...from this creature of God! Be gone! In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!

Of the cast, Jason Miller as Father Damien Karras is outstanding. When he enters her room and finds his mother sitting there and then he realises what is to be done, he comes down and sits on the bench. That is the most poignant scene ever in the movie.

These were great cult movies, The Exorcist, The Omen, Jaws, Alien - all absolutely great movies. 

The Freebooters

The Freebooters written by Elleston Trevor is an unlikely story of a British army unit embattled in an imaginary country in a violent zone inside Africa with orders not to fight but only to retaliate. The force gets impatient, with one soldier letting loose his machine gun killing 15 of the locals. The locals meanwhile continue to harass the soldiers and in fact they get annoyed when the force constructs a barbed wire outside their perimeter in order to keep the locals away. The locals do manage to kill a few British soldiers and that too in a most brutal way. A few of them mutiny, walk across 250 miles of enemy territory with a truck and machine guns and all, but the truck breaks down and, so they are forced to leg it out to the missionary. Along the route they encounter the tribes and kill many of them. Once they arrive at the missionary it is still not over, and they have to fight hard to stave off the locals. Again when they arrive at the missionary, its head, a lady says, she does not approve of any killings, its bad. So they have a predicament, but they are lives to be saved as well. Its a brave story with varied characters and the writer has kept the interest intact. Goodreads review 5/5