AADHAAR – POLITY

News: Aadhaar unreliable in ‘hot, humid’ India: Moody’s

 

What's in the news?

       Global rating major Moody’s Investors Service has flagged concerns about security and privacy vulnerabilities in centralised identification systems like India’s Aadhaar programme. The unique ID system often results in “service denials”, and using biometric technologies in humid conditions is unreliable, it noted.

 

Key takeaways:

       Amid India’s digital infra push, Moody’s says the world’s largest digital ID programme often denies service to users; it questions reliability of biometric technology, warns of privacy and security risks.

 

Aadhaar:

       A 12-digit unique identity for every Indian individual, including children and infants.

       Available to all the resident Indians.

       It contains all details of demographic and biometric information.

       It is a voluntary service that every resident can avail irrespective of present documentation.

       Each individual will be given a single unique Aadhaar ID number.

       Aadhaar will provide a universal identity infrastructure which can be used by any identity-based application (like ration card, passport, etc.)

       Issuing authority: Unique Identification Authority of India.

 

About UIDAI:

Statutory Authority:

       The UIDAI is a statutory authority established on 12th July 2016 by the Government of India under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, following the provisions of the Aadhaar Act 2016.

       The UIDAI was initially set up by the Government of India in January 2009, as an attached office under the aegis of the Planning Commission.

 

Mandate:

       The UIDAI is mandated to assign a 12-digit unique identification (UID) number (Aadhaar) to all the residents of India.

       As of 31st October 2021, UIDAI had issued 131.68 crore Aadhaar numbers.

 

Aadhar Act 2016:

       The Act provides for an efficient, transparent, and targeted delivery of subsidies, benefits, and services to citizens through the assignment of Unique Identity Numbers.

       Under the act, biometric and demographic information of the resident would be verified post which the Aadhaar number would be issued. The Aadhaar number would be a twelve-digit number issued by the authority (UIDAI).

       The act provides the offences and penalties for offences under the Act. It also provides which information can be submitted, on request by the entity, by the Authority.

 

New Amendment under Aadhar (enrollment and update) Regulation, 2019:

1. Updating the documents:

       As per the regulations earlier, residents who were older than 15 years at the time of enrollment were recommended to update their biometric data every 10 years.

       The process of updating documents is not mandatory.

2. Ensuring accuracy:

       This process will help in ensuring the accuracy of information in the Central Identities Data Repository (CIDR).

3. Demographic information:

       The amendment of the Aadhaar regulation is limited to updating demographic information and does not involve biometric data such as fingerprints.

 

Supreme Court Judgement:

       In 2018, the Supreme Court had struck down Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act.

       Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act essentially allowed private entities to collect citizens’ Aadhaar details. While reading down the provision, the top court had called it “unconstitutional”.

       Later, the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019 was issued which allowed banks and telecom operators to collect Aadhaar details as a proof of identity.

 

Advantages of Aadhar:

1. Eliminate the leakages: Increasing the accuracy of Aadhaar information is likely to help the government eliminate the leakage of benefit transfers from various schemes. 

2. Promoting Transparency and Good Governance: Aadhaar number is verifiable in an online, cost-effective way.

3. Direct Benefit Transfer: Aadhar Card linked bank accounts will get their set of LPG Subsidy directly accredited in the bank account.

4. People-Centric Governance: Aadhaar is a strategic policy tool for social and financial inclusion, public sector delivery reforms, managing fiscal budgets, increasing convenience and promoting hassle-free people-centric governance.