Sunday, 13 May 2012 00:26
SEEMA SINDHU | New Delhi
The deal brokered between the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and the Home Ministry over Unique Identification (UID) or Aadhaar number by direct intervention of the Prime Minister seems not to be lasting long.
In an Inter-Ministerial Co-ordination Committee (IMCC) meeting held last week, the Home Ministry again flagged its objection to Aadhaar.
Government sources told The Pioneer that the Home Ministry had said that it was not possible to “split the work”. The data collected by National Population Register (NPR) is comprehensive and can be used by UIDAI for issuing Aadhaar but data collected by UIDAI is not comprehensive and thus cannot be used by NPR for issuing National Identity Card.
NPR captures 15 details of every individual whereas the UIDAI collects five fields. Now, Chidambaram is learnt to have conveyed that synchronisation between UIDAI data and NPR data is difficult. In this scenario, it is not possible to avoid duplication of data.
In January end, a deal was reached between the Planning Commission and the Home Ministry by Cabinet Committee on UIDAI on direct intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. UIDAI works as an autonomous body under the Planning Commission. According to the deal, Nandan Nilekani-led UIDAI’s mandate to issue Aadhaar numbers and collect biometrics was extended to another 40 crore people in 16 States, while the biometrics in other States will be collected under the NPR project. It was decided that in case of discrepancies between UIDAI and NPR data, NPR will prevail. In return, UIDAI had assured that the security concerns raised by the Home Minister P Chidambaram would be addressed.
The Committee said that residents who had received Aadhaar number will not have to give their biometrics again for the NPR and NPR will use the biometrics collected by UIDAI for issuance of chip-based multipurpose National Identity Card. It also said that detailed protocols of this deal would be worked out by IMCC within the overall directions given by the Cabinet Committee on UIDAI, constituted by the Home Ministry.
In Budget 2012, the Government further allocated the UIDAI Rs 1,758 crore, a year-on-year increase of 47 per cent. This is to be placed before Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) after the approval of the Finance Bill by the President.
Sources also said that EFC too has its reservations on clearing the allocation, given the issues raised by Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance.
The Budget highlighted the Central role Aadhaar will play in the delivery of various social welfare schemes --- in computerised Public Distribution System network, payments of NREGA, old age, widow and disability pensions and other such schemes.