Shillong: The Meghalaya government is ramping up efforts to enroll nearly 6 lakh residents who remain outside the Aadhaar database, a requirement for accessing various government development and welfare schemes, officials reported on Tuesday.
Aadhaar enrollment has been notably slow in East Khasi Hills and West Garo Hills districts, with completion rates of 75% and 83% respectively, leaving over 3.27 lakh residents unregistered in these two districts alone.
“We are working diligently to ensure everyone is enrolled under the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which issues the Aadhaar number. So far, nearly 28 lakh people have been enrolled across the state,” a senior official said.
East Khasi Hills district accounts for the largest number of unregistered individuals, with over 2.31 lakh yet to be enrolled.
West Garo Hills follows with more than 96,400 residents outside the system, according to February 2025 data.
Other districts like West Khasi Hills and South Garo Hills lag behind, with enrollment rates at just 68% and 67% respectively.
Despite these challenges, Meghalaya recently earned national recognition, receiving two awards for its performance in mandatory biometric updates for children and adult Aadhaar verification.
The state has enrolled over 37,000 children under five and more than 6.93 lakh between the ages of 5 and 18. Additionally, 20.67 lakh residents above 18 years have been registered.
State Nodal Officer for Aadhaar, Joram Beda, praised the team’s efforts.
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“This recognition reflects the unwavering commitment of our Aadhaar team, from field-level staff to district officials and technical teams. I congratulate everyone who contributed to this remarkable achievement,” he said.
Beda emphasised the government’s continued dedication to improving Aadhaar services in the state.
“We are working to ensure every resident in Meghalaya has access to their unique identity and the benefits of essential government schemes,” he added.
