Assam Eases Aadhaar Rules for Tea Workers Amid Immigration Concerns

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed on Sunday that a special exemption for tea garden workers has been integrated into the state's stringent Aadhaar card issuance policy. Speaking at a review of the Rang Ghar beautification project in Sivasagar, Sarma detailed the new rule mandating Aadhaar cards for adults only post satisfaction by the District Commissioner, with notable exceptions for nearly 50,000 unregistered tea garden workers.

Highlighting the discernment needed, Sarma mentioned, "For any adult in Assam now requesting an Aadhaar Card, it triggers suspicion. Consequently, Aadhaar will be issued only after satisfying the District Commissioner. We've exempted tea workers who are yet to be registered, ensuring that any Aadhaar applicant is indeed a legitimate Indian citizen." This move underscores Assam's ongoing efforts to regulate immigration and identity verification.

In a subsequent post on X, Sarma elaborated, stating, "We're taking multi-pronged approaches to detect illegal immigrants – Aadhaar issuance regulations via District Commissioners are just one method." Following a state cabinet meeting on Friday, Sarma conveyed that these updations in Aadhaar policy intend to fortify security and preserve Assam's demographic fabric. The decision aligns with the state's initiatives to prevent unauthorized entries and the use of forged credentials.

(With inputs from agencies.)