Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo
On Tuesday, a poignant landmark was reached when the Unique Identification Authority of India crossed the generation of a billion Aadhaar cards. With nearly 80 percent of the population covered under the scheme, Aadhaar is the world's largest biometric database and the first online biometric-based identity system in the world.
Enabling Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) through the Aadhaar has been a game-changer in providing subsidies and entitlements across the country. Leakages in the provision of subsidies had become an accepted reality that was borne by the poor and vulnerable. Aadhaar presents the opportunity to not only augment state capacity in delivering subsidies, but to also have a transformative effect on the living standards of the poor.
From the beginning, the Aadhaar scheme has been the center of a political tussle. Introduced through an executive order in 2009 and followed by the National Identification Authority of India Bill in 2010, the scheme was the brainchild of the UPA Government.
The Bill was met with fierce opposition from social activists and the Standing Committee on Finance. The NDA, then in opposition, criticized the Aadhaar scheme vehemently by calling it a "fraud" and "something to be ashamed of". On the other hand, the UPA Government used the scheme to influence voters during the first phase of the Direct Benefit Transfer in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.
While the duty of a responsible Opposition is to constructively debate legislation, the political maneuvering of the Aadhaar cannot be separated from the actions of both the UPA and the NDA governments. The initial hostility, followed by pioneering the scheme in both Houses of Parliament makes the actions of the government questionable. Both governments have used and misused the scheme to their benefit, and have in the process compromised the interests of the public.
Good governance is not defined by good ideas and intentions. It is a function of political will and execution. The original DBT scheme, PAHAL, for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) subsidies, launched in 2013, failed to stand its ground amidst strong criticism from the opposition, social activists and the judiciary. Modified and re-launched by the NDA government in November 2014, it has proven to be a thundering success resulting in savings of roughly 30 percent in the last year itself. Leveraging the Aadhaar, the Government has managed to kill two birds with one stone - the problem of leakages and mis-targeting.
Aadhaar is the world's largest biometric database and the first online biometric-based identity system in the world (Reuters photo)
While the credit for conceiving and evolving the Aadhaar rests with the UPA, the implementation of the scheme has to be attributed to the efforts of the NDA. Ultimately, Modi is a better communicator and can withstand pressure from vested interests and parties while passing key legislation.
The introduction and passage of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016 in the Lok Sabha however has woken legislators and the public to the other side of the Aadhaar debate. Tabling the Bill as a "money bill" to limit the role of the Rajya Sabha establishes a dangerous precedent (this meant the Rajya Sabha could only recommend changes, which were then over-ruled by the Lok Sabha, where the government has a huge majority). The objective of the Bill is not just the transfer of subsidies, but also the identification and targeting of beneficiaries. The advantages of biometric technologies end at human interface. Therefore, Aadhaar holds equal relevance in the prevention of leakages and weeding out ineligible beneficiaries.
Debate and discussion are the basic tenets of parliament. By bypassing the Rajya Sabha, the government failed to gain a better perspective on the objectives and implementation of the Bill. Examination of the Bill by a Select Committee could have brought forth recommendations that would make the Bill more effective and long lasting.
Issues of mandatory registration, privacy, security and confidentiality of information still remain unresolved and violate the faith citizens have vested in the government in regards to their personal identifiable information. The government has willfully disregarded the orders of the Supreme Court that the Aadhaar card cannot be made mandatory. Further, sharing of personal information in the "interest of national security", a term that remains undefined, flouts privacy of individuals.
The political debate surrounding the Aadhaar legislation has also taken away from problems of implementation being faced by the scheme. The absence of regular power and internet connectivity, authentication failures and inadequate infrastructure is depriving millions of individuals from their rightful entitlements. As the government is moving to the Supreme Court to extend the Aadhaar to all welfare schemes, it must focus on the issues plaguing its very objectives.
The essence of a multi-party system is to deliberate and reach a consensus on policy issues and legislations that reflect the views and protect the interests of both the majority and minority. Disregarding the opinions of the opposition, violating the orders of the judiciary and discounting the interests of the public are in conflict with the principles of democracy.
(Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo is a second-time sitting Member of Parliament from Bolangir in Odisha and a prominent leader of the Biju Janata Dal.)
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First Published:April 06, 2016 19:38 IST
