DTH major dishtv today said it will accept 'Aadhaar' -- a 12-digit unique number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) -- as a Know Your Customer (KYC) validation for address and identity proof.

The DTH operator will acknowledge the UID number of all Aadhaar holders as an 'officially valid document' for installation and subscription purposes of its services, dishtv said in a statement.

"dishtv is proud to align with UIDAI to recognise and support the country's largest movement to provide unique ID numbers to its residents. Aadhaar will also serve an additional payment option as the UID has a direct connect to the banks and financial institutions," dishtv COO Salil Kapoor said.

The UID numbers issued to over a million residents, with a target of 600 million by 2013, will be accepted as officially valid documents through all dishtv dealers and channel partners across the country.

Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique number which the UIDAI is issuing to all residents of India. It is linked to the resident's demographic and biometric information, which they can use to identify themselves anywhere in India, and to access a host of benefits and services.