AADHAAR RELATED ARTICLES: 5231 - Aadhaar de-linking: LPG consumers left high and dry

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

Friday, February 28, 2014

5231 - Aadhaar de-linking: LPG consumers left high and dry - The Hindu

CITIES » HYDERABAD

HYDERABAD, February 24, 2014

Updated: February 24, 2014 12:44 IST

Aadhaar de-linking: LPG consumers left high and dry

M. SAI GOPAL

Those who opted for DBTL wait for over 15 days for subsidy to be credited

Domestic gas cylinder consumers in the State are facing a bizarre situation. Thanks to the recent hike in LPG cylinder quota, customers who have not enrolled in the Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG (DBTL) scheme are paying close to Rs.433 a cylinder. On the other hand, those who already possess the Aadhaar card and have linked it to their bank accounts shell out Rs.1,200 for each cylinder, but face a delay of more than 15 days for the subsidy amount to be credited.

Needless to say, consumers are regretting their decision to opt for the DBTL.

“I paid over Rs.1,200 for a cylinder but it takes more than 15 days for the subsidy to be credited. When I met the gas agency officials, they maintained that the payment would be delayed by more than a fortnight,” says V. Neelima, a housewife from Ramnagar in Warangal.

Customers complain that since January 31, when the Central government decided to increase the quota of subsidised cylinders from nine to 12, the release of subsidy amount to bank accounts has not taken place.

Many also criticise the apparent lack of clarity from authorities in implementing the scheme.

“First, the government said Aadhaar was compulsory and later it said those with a bank linkage would get the refund. The subsidy amount, however, is not being credited on time. At the same time, those who have not linked their Aadhaar card to banks are receiving cylinders at Rs.433,” bemoans Pavan Seth, a consumer from Visakhapatnam’s MVP Colony.

Many have called for more clarity on the issue.

“It is high-time the government clarify on its policy,” feels J.L.N. Kumar, former president of Visakhapatnam LPG Dealers’ Association. The situation is no different in Vijayawada, where a majority of consumers are forced to pay Rs.1,215 for a cylinder and then face inordinate delays for subsidy reimbursement.

Gas agencies in Krishna district pointed out that there was no mechanism to monitor the transfer of subsidy to consumers’ bank account.

In Guntur, implementing authorities and gas agencies are swamped with customer enquiries on delay of reimbursement.

“Consumers in the unorganised sector, including daily-wagers and private employees, are not in a position to pay Rs.1, 230 per cylinder. Since February 1, the reimbursement has completely stopped,” says CPI district secretary, Muppalla Nageswara Rao.

Gas dealers in Kurnool have maintained that despite the Centre’s decision to de-link Aadhaar and bank accounts, oil company officials continue to pressurise them on the matter.Customers, however, are unhappy.

“We have paid Rs.1,237 a cylinder. But so far, the subsidy amount has not been credited, and authorities here have not come up with a cogent and clear explanation,” says housewife and Kurnool resident Sridevi.

The condition is no different in Kakinada, where Aadhaar-linked services were first launched on a pilot basis. According to data available, 92 per cent LPG connections have been linked to Aadhaar and banks. Despite the high penetration, a large number of complaints on delay in reimbursement continued to pour in during weekly ‘grievance cell’ programmes.

P. Venkateswara Rao, president, A.P State Gas Distributors Association, maintained that the delay in release of subsidy is not the fault of gas agencies.

“It is quite understandable customers are blaming gas agencies for the delay. However, they should realise that the delay is due to lack of clarity from authorities in New Delhi,” he said.

While acknowledging the problems, gas authorities are hoping for a quick resolution. “We are awaiting directives on the issue from New Delhi and are in touch with the Oil Ministry officials. We hope for a quick redressal,” assures State LPG Gas Co-ordinator, Madhukar Ingole.

[With inputs from K.N. Murali Sankar (Kakinada), G.V. R. Subba Rao (Vijayawada), Santosh Patnaik (Visakhapatnam), Gollapudi Srinivas Rao (Warangal), Rajulapudi Srinivas (Guntur), D. Sreenivasulu (Kurnool)]

Keywords: Domestic gas cylinder, Aadhaar card, gas agencies, LPG cylinders, UIDAI, subsidy, DBTL