Mahendra Singh | TNN | Apr 2, 2016, 02.55 AM IST
NEW DELHI: The enrolment of 100 crore residents under the Aadhaar scheme will help the government address concerns that making the UID mandatory will eliminate the poor from government subsidies. With more than 90% of India's adult population enrolled, fears of exclusion have receded and alternative identities like voter IDs are not banned.
"This will definitely help deserving people who really need subsidies and government help. Aadhaar will ensure that money reaches directly in the account of beneficiaries without any intermediary," said an official.
PM Narendra Modi has visualised Aadhaar as integral to his governance reform with its anticipated political benefits. The scheme's critics have charged that the data collected can compromise the privacy of individuals and a constitution bench of the Supreme Court is yet to pronounce on the contentions.
The apex court has stopped the government from making Aadhaar mandatory for access to subsidies and entitlements which was key to check duplication and eliminate bogus beneficiaries.
The Aadhaar law cleared by Parliament also seeks to ensure stronger legal protection of Aadhaar's biometric data by incorporating privacy provisions and restricting its sharing and use. It also addresses issues relating to data security as raised in a PIL in the SC. The private sector will also benefit from the Aadhaar initiative for verifying the identity of any individual. But they have to adhere to the privacy and data protection norms outlined.