In 2009, I became extremely concerned with the concept of Unique Identity for various reasons. Connected with many like minded highly educated people who were all concerned.
On 18th May 2010, I started this Blog to capture anything and everything I came across on the topic. This blog with its million hits is a testament to my concerns about loss of privacy and fear of the ID being misused and possible Criminal activities it could lead to.
In 2017 the Supreme Court of India gave its verdict after one of the longest hearings on any issue. I did my bit and appealed to the Supreme Court Judges too through an On Line Petition.
In 2019 the Aadhaar Legislation has been revised and passed by the two houses of the Parliament of India making it Legal. I am no Legal Eagle so my Opinion carries no weight except with people opposed to the very concept.
In 2019, this Blog now just captures on a Daily Basis list of Articles Published on anything to do with Aadhaar as obtained from Daily Google Searches and nothing more. Cannot burn the midnight candle any longer.
"In Matters of Conscience, the Law of Majority has no place"- Mahatma Gandhi
Ram Krishnaswamy
Sydney, Australia.

Aadhaar

The UIDAI has taken two successive governments in India and the entire world for a ride. It identifies nothing. It is not unique. The entire UID data has never been verified and audited. The UID cannot be used for governance, financial databases or anything. It’s use is the biggest threat to national security since independence. – Anupam Saraph 2018

When I opposed Aadhaar in 2010 , I was called a BJP stooge. In 2016 I am still opposing Aadhaar for the same reasons and I am told I am a Congress die hard. No one wants to see why I oppose Aadhaar as it is too difficult. Plus Aadhaar is FREE so why not get one ? Ram Krishnaswamy

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.-Mahatma Gandhi

In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place.Mahatma Gandhi

“The invasion of privacy is of no consequence because privacy is not a fundamental right and has no meaning under Article 21. The right to privacy is not a guaranteed under the constitution, because privacy is not a fundamental right.” Article 21 of the Indian constitution refers to the right to life and liberty -Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi

“There is merit in the complaints. You are unwittingly allowing snooping, harassment and commercial exploitation. The information about an individual obtained by the UIDAI while issuing an Aadhaar card shall not be used for any other purpose, save as above, except as may be directed by a court for the purpose of criminal investigation.”-A three judge bench headed by Justice J Chelameswar said in an interim order.

Legal scholar Usha Ramanathan describes UID as an inverse of sunshine laws like the Right to Information. While the RTI makes the state transparent to the citizen, the UID does the inverse: it makes the citizen transparent to the state, she says.

Good idea gone bad
I have written earlier that UID/Aadhaar was a poorly designed, unreliable and expensive solution to the really good idea of providing national identification for over a billion Indians. My petition contends that UID in its current form violates the right to privacy of a citizen, guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. This is because sensitive biometric and demographic information of citizens are with enrolment agencies, registrars and sub-registrars who have no legal liability for any misuse of this data. This petition has opened up the larger discussion on privacy rights for Indians. The current Article 21 interpretation by the Supreme Court was done decades ago, before the advent of internet and today’s technology and all the new privacy challenges that have arisen as a consequence.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP Rajya Sabha

“What is Aadhaar? There is enormous confusion. That Aadhaar will identify people who are entitled for subsidy. No. Aadhaar doesn’t determine who is eligible and who isn’t,” Jairam Ramesh

But Aadhaar has been mythologised during the previous government by its creators into some technology super force that will transform governance in a miraculous manner. I even read an article recently that compared Aadhaar to some revolution and quoted a 1930s historian, Will Durant.Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Rajya Sabha MP

“I know you will say that it is not mandatory. But, it is compulsorily mandatorily voluntary,” Jairam Ramesh, Rajya Saba April 2017.

August 24, 2017: The nine-judge Constitution Bench rules that right to privacy is “intrinsic to life and liberty”and is inherently protected under the various fundamental freedoms enshrined under Part III of the Indian Constitution

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the World; indeed it's the only thing that ever has"

“Arguing that you don’t care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don’t care about free speech because you have nothing to say.” -Edward Snowden

In the Supreme Court, Meenakshi Arora, one of the senior counsel in the case, compared it to living under a general, perpetual, nation-wide criminal warrant.

Had never thought of it that way, but living in the Aadhaar universe is like living in a prison. All of us are treated like criminals with barely any rights or recourse and gatekeepers have absolute power on you and your life.

Announcing the launch of the # BreakAadhaarChainscampaign, culminating with events in multiple cities on 12th Jan. This is the last opportunity to make your voice heard before the Supreme Court hearings start on 17th Jan 2018. In collaboration with @no2uidand@rozi_roti.

UIDAI's security seems to be founded on four time tested pillars of security idiocy

1) Denial

2) Issue fiats and point finger

3) Shoot messenger

4) Bury head in sand.

God Save India

Thursday, August 4, 2016

10240 - Cabinet approves special package for employment generation and promotion of exports in Textile and Apparel sector June 22, 2016

Cabinet approves special package for employment generation and promotion of exports in Textile and Apparel sector

June 22, 2016

Big boost for textile sector: Govt approves special package for employment generation & promotion of exports


Govt plans to generate one crore jobs in the textile and apparel industry over next 3 years


Textile sector: Govt efforts to lead to a cumulative increase of US $ 30 billion in exports


Centre plans to invest ₹ 74,000 crores over next 3 years into textile sector


Govt's special package for textile sector a boon for women workforce on the country

The Union Cabinet under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given approval for a special package for employment generation and promotion of exports in Textile and Apparel sector.

The move comes in the backdrop of the package of reforms announced by the Government for generation of one crore jobs in the textile and apparel industry over next 3 years. The package includes a slew of measures which are labour friendly and would promote employment generation, economies of scale and boost exports. The steps will lead to a cumulative increase of US$ 30 bn. in exports and investment of Rs. 74,000 crores over next 3 years.

The majority of new jobs are likely to go to women since the garment industry employs nearly 70% women workforce. Thus, the package would help in social transformation through women empowerment.

Salient features of the package announced are: 
Employee Provident Fund Scheme Reforms
  • Govt. of India shall bear the entire 12% of the employers’ contribution of the Employers Provident Fund Scheme for new employees of garment industry for first 3 years who are earning less than Rs. 15,000 per month.
  • At present, 8.33% of employer’s contribution is already being provided by Government under Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY). Ministry of Textiles shall provide additional 3.67% of the employer’s contribution amounting to Rs. 1,170 crores over next 3 years.
  • EPF shall be made optional for employees earning less than Rs. 15,000 per month
  • This shall leave more money in the hands of the workers and also promote employment in the formal sector.

  1. Increasing overtime caps
  • Overtime hours for workers not to exceed 8 hours per week in line with ILO norms.
  • This shall lead to increased earnings for the workers

  1. Introduction of fixed term employment 
  • Looking to the seasonal nature of the industry, fixed term employment shall be introduced for the garment sector
  • A fixed term workman will be considered at par with permanent workman in terms of working hours, wages, allowanced and other statutory dues.

  1. Additional incentives under ATUFS
  • The package breaks new ground in moving from input to outcome based incentives by increasing subsidy under Amended-TUFS from 15% to 25% for the garment sector as a boost to employment generation.
  • A unique feature of the scheme will be to disburse the subsidy only after the expected jobs are created.

  1. Enhanced duty drawback coverage
  • In a first of its kind move, a new scheme will be introduced to refund the state levies which were not refunded so far.
  • This move is expected to cost the exchequer Rs 5500 crores but will greatly boost the competitiveness of Indian exports in foreign markets.
  • Drawback at All Industries Rate to be given for domestic duty paid inputs even when fabrics are imported under Advance Authorization Scheme

  1. Enhancing scope of Section 80JJAA of Income Tax Act
  • Looking at the seasonal nature of garment industry, the provision of 240 days under Section 80JJAA of Income Tax Act would be relaxed to 150 days for garment industry

PPT on Textile and Apparel Sector Reform Package :
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