‘Facial’ authentication instead of biometric in AP

Amaravathi, May 23: The AP government is making efforts to introduce ‘facial authentication’ instead of ‘biometric’ system in the implementation of welfare schemes across the State, in the wake of problems arising while using biometrics as the fingerprints are of the elderly and labourers, who do manual work, are changing.
 
Presently, the officials are collecting fingerprints of the beneficiaries of various welfare schemes ahead of the implementation and later confirming the fingerprints at the time of Aadhar registration of these beneficiaries. 
 
In the process of facial authentication, instead of fingerprints, the face of the beneficiary will be verified with that on the Aadhar card. 
 
Besides, the government has to purchase about three lakh biometric instruments, which are being used for welfare schemes, every year due to wear and tear. In the case of facial authentication, there will be no need to use any additional instruments. 
 
As the Central government Electronics and Information Technology Ministry and UAD department, gave permission, which is mandatory to implement face authentication, the officials started this method at village and ward office in Vijayawada on a trial basis. 
 
The attendance of five employees is under scrutiny. Later, the officials will check the attendance of total staff and will submit a report to the central ministry and UAD department. 
 
If everything goes well, Andhra Pradesh will be the first state in the country to implement this system.