Guwahati, Aug 28 (IANS): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Wednesday that more than 9 lakh people of the state will get AADHAR cards whose biometrics were locked during the updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

He said, "There were more than 9 lakh people in Assam who were not getting AADHAR cards as their biometrics were locked during the NRC updation procedure in the state. Those citizens were facing issues in getting scholarships and other government benefits. To solve the problem, we formed a cabinet sub-committee to study the matter."

According to the Chief Minister, the cabinet sub-committee observed that since there was no relation between the AADHAR card and NRC, over 9 lakh people in the state should get their AADHAR cards.

"As the people were facing difficulties, we have taken up this issue with the Union government, and after continuous discussion for two years, the Centre has decided to provide them AADHAR cards. The UIDAI authority was also notified accordingly,” he said, adding that 9,35,642 people will now get their AADHAR cards.

CM Sarma asserted that this will provide a big relief for those people, and they will face no issues in getting scholarships and other government schemes in the coming days.

He also said that in the next 15 days or one month, 9,35,642 people can register themselves at the AADHAR centres.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also aimed at the owner of a private university in Meghalaya and said, "The chancellor of University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM), Mahbubul Hoque fraudulently took an OBC certificate from Karimganj district. After noticing discrepancies in Hoque's documents, the district administration cancelled the certificate. However, no action was taken against him. I have now instructed the Karimganj District Commissioner to register a police case against Hoque."

The Chief Minister criticised the USTM authority for the recent flash flood in Guwahati, saying that due to large-scale deforestation in the varsity campus, Guwahati faced severe waterlogging.