4950 - Top States on HDI take the lead on Aadhar enrolment - The Hindu

Top States on HDI take the lead on Aadhar enrolment

GIRIJA SHIVAKUMAR

Recent data on UIDAI enrolment (till October 2013) reveals that eight States have achieved a saturation rate of over 75 per cent. Five of the States — Kerala, Delhi, Goa, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab — are among the top States on the human development index.

“Aadhaar enrolment is an indicator of well-governed States. These States take the lead irrespective of politics or political parties,” a senior UID official told The Hindu. The leading States include UPA-ruled States — Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Sikkim — the BJP-ruled State of Goa, and the Left-governed Tripura.

All southern states are in the medium to high level of saturation. Tamil Nadu stands at 45 per cent, Karnataka at 53 per cent, and Kerala and Andhra Pradesh at 87 per cent. “Andhra Pradesh took the lead and was one of the first few States to realise the potential of UID. Besides, big and small States have made huge progress. It is in the interest of State governments and their understanding of how Aadhaar can be leveraged,” the official added.

“Gujarat is in a funny situation as the State government bureaucrats are stuck thinking that they are already far too well governed,” the official said. The State has recorded a 29 per cent saturation rate, similar to West Bengal, which stands at 28 per cent.

Interestingly, population has not posed an impediment with Sikkim, a State with a population of around 6,00,000 and Andhra Pradesh that has a population of 84 million. Further, most States that have recorded high levels of saturation include high per capita income States, including Delhi, Goa and Sikkim.

Eight States which record a saturation rate of less than 10 per cent include Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jammu and Kashmir. All these States have per capita income (per capita State domestic product) lower than the national average of Rs. 68,757 in 2012-13. Additionally, according to the Human Development Report 2011, Bihar, U.P., Chhattisgarh ranked lowest on the Human Development Index.

Keywords: UIDAI enrolment, Aadhar enrolment, Human Development Index, saturation rate

4938 - Aadhaar enrolment still an arduous task - The Hindu

KOCHI, November 11, 2013

Aadhaar enrolment still an arduous task

STAFF REPORTER

HICCUPS APLENTY:There is no clear-cut data on Aadhaar coverage in Ernakulam district.— Photo: K.K. Mustafah

Dearth of adequate number of enrolment centres within city limits and constant hiccups in enrolment mechanism have made life difficult for members of the public looking to secure Aadhaar number.

With the Parliament planning to move a bill during the forthcoming winter session to give statutory status to the Unique Identification Authority of India that issues Aadhaar number, the prospects of Aadhaar becoming mandatory for various welfare schemes appear increasingly probable.

About 50 Akshaya centres are engaged in Aadhaar enrolment in the district. At one point of time, there were as many as 70 centres providing the service.

The experience of Sunitha, a city-based college lecturer, last week exemplifies the hardships encountered by the public in securing Aadhaar more than two years after the process was set in motion. She along with her two children approached an Akshaya centre in Palarivattom. About 45 minutes into their wait, the system broke down and it took a while before it was restored.

The system broke down yet again just before their turn and they were informed that enrolment would not be possible that day. Sunitha and her children then went to an Akshaya centre at Kakkanad only to see it shut. It was well past afternoon when they eventually got enrolled at an Akshaya centre at Pattimattom, almost 25 km from the city.

M.P. Chackochan, president, Akshaya Welfare Association, Ernakulam, said entrepreneurs faced immense difficulty in case of breakdown of laptop or biometric devices. “Systems were supplied by a Thiruvananthapuram-based company which does not have any branches in Kochi. Hence enrolment will be affected at least for a couple of days till the problem is fixed,” he said.

Enrolment will be hit for even longer if the biometric devices encountered serious problems. For instance, the enrolment will be affected for a couple of weeks if the device needs a replacement. The replacements had to come from Hyderabad, Mr. Chackochan said.

Meanwhile, the rate of daily enrolment has come down to 20-30 from 120-150. This could be attributed to the uncertainty over whether or not Aadhaar was mandatory especially in the wake of the Supreme Court verdict against making Aadhaar mandatory for welfare schemes. Mr. Chackochan said there could be another surge in enrolment if the Union government’s move to give statutory status to UID becomes a reality. There is no clear-cut data on the Aadhaar coverage in the district. Mr. Chackochan said the presence of a huge floating population made such an assessment difficult.

4937 - Can petrol subsidy be Aadhaar-linked? - The Hindu

OPINION » OPEN PAGE

November 9, 2013

Updated: November 9, 2013 23:40 IST

Can petrol subsidy be Aadhaar-linked?

KURUVILLA JOHN

“Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value — zero.” — Voltaire

Over 300 years, the British pound lost 99 per cent of its value. The rise and fall of the Asian currencies, in the 1990s, prove right the prefaced word of caution. Financial overextension, an alarming rise in foreign debt, and hyper-inflation drive us down a steep precipice, rudderless.

For the capital mistakes of politicians, bureaucrats and the Indian elite, the poor Indian should not be sentenced to capital punishment in the form of continual, illogical fuel price hike, as you like, fuelling all-round inflation, hopelessly impoverishing him, upsetting the fragile public transport economics.

Inflation, fiscal deficit, current account deficit, and then currency devaluation operate not in watertight chambers. They move in a vicious circle, complementing each other.

Desperate are the naïve moves like ‘fuel-curfew’ and callous threats of further dosage of mindless price increase. The only thing constant is the sheer absence of imagination and reforms to reduce oil consumption through a conscious promotion of public transport vis-à-vis private. Like a seesaw — when one side is stable, the other side goes unstable — fuel price rise leads to higher transportation costs, resulting in general inflation and higher government expenditure — increased D.A., rising cost of travel, purchases and contracts — (offsetting benefits from fuel price hike), which eventually end up in a wider fiscal deficit, impelling the government to scout for external borrowings, woo ephemeral FIIs, FDIs, whose servicing/repatriation itself worsens CAD, back to square one.

A plethora of baffling domestic/international factors frustrate our efforts to cut consumption of petroleum products, and mitigate hardship. The recent, reasonably successful pattern of direct cash transfer of subsidy for cooking gas could be an intelligent management model to streamline the slippery oil scenario:

a). Let GoI — through a permanent Judicial Petroleum Commission — transparently fix the economic price of petrol/diesel/cooking gas every week/fortnight/month;

b). A subsidised entitlement — like nine cylinders of cooking gas — maybe 600 litres of petrol/diesel per annum, for all motor vehicles put together, in every household;

c). Like for cooking gas, when the vehicle owner pays the full price at the petrol pump, the subsidy amount would get credited forthwith to his/her Aadhaar-linked bank account;

d). Over and above this, any quantity, as required, would be available but, without subsidy, as in the case of gas. (Later on, it could be fine-tuned, bringing in differential subsidy for fuel-efficient economy vehicles vis-à-vis limousines.)

The Finance Minister, the RBI Governor and now the Petroleum Minister, singly trying to counteract the gravitational pull of the rupee, resemble Atlas holding the globe in Greek mythology. As our rupee nosedives, this writer thought it fit to do his mite.

Our dusty old bicycle — rusting in the carshed for some time — was oiled and overhauled, its crumbled tyres inflated, to make it roadworthy. Great! It runs — without fuel. With a spirited sense of adventure, this antique piece slowly moved out on to the road, from our housing colony to busy roads. Amused motorcyclists kept a respectful distance from this wobbling ‘endangered species’, while speeding limousines brashly overtook it, unbothered to reckon with this tax-free poor cousin.

If only we earmark one per cent of the proceeds of every fuel price hike to kick-start our dream bicycle-paths, vanishing footpaths, Pelican crossings, and to refurbish RTCs! No better recipe for a resurgent rupee!

This writer’s 62-year old lungs pumped hard to pedal the cycle, wondering why simple solutions ever elude us. In a soliloquy to the listening air: Satyameva Jayate, ‘Sada jeevan, Uchch vichar’, Swadeshi — Who lives if India, the Indian rupee, dies?

(The writer is a former IAS officer. Email: kuruvillajohn@yahoo.com)

4933 - Oil firms in Kerala steam ahead with direct subsidy transfer - The Hindu

KOCHI, November 8, 2013

Updated: November 8, 2013 14:28 IST

Oil firms in Kerala steam ahead with direct subsidy transfer

M. P. PRAVEEN

Oil companies are steaming ahead with the November 30 deadline for the implementation of the Aadhaar-based DBLT of LPG subsidy in the absence of any specific direction from the Union Ministry for Petroleum and Natural Gas. File photo

Tries to meet November 30 deadline for Aadhaar-based scheme

The more than 80 lakh domestic LPG consumers in the State will do well to enrol under Aadhaar and get the Aadhaar number seeded with their respective LPG consumer ID and bank account to ensure uninterrupted supply of subsidized cooking gas from next month.

Though the Supreme Court had directed against making Aadhaar mandatory for welfare schemes, the oil companies are steaming ahead to meet the November 30 deadline for the implementation of the Aadhaar-based Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG subsidy (DBTL) in the absence of any specific direction from the Union Ministry for Petroleum and Natural Gas.

DBTL requires LPG consumers to seed their Aadhaar numbers with their respective LPG consumer ID and bank account, on which they will become Cash Transfer Complaint (CTC) consumers, facilitating direct transfer of subsidy for each cylinder to their bank accounts up to a capped limit of nine cylinders a year.

For this, consumers will have to apply in a prescribed form, or through internet, along with a copy of their Aadhaar card or letter with the gas agency and the bank concerned.

About 50 per cent of the 20-lakh subscribers of BPCL in the State have become CTC while it is about 35 per cent for HPCL, which has the close to 10 lakh subscribers in the State. The data is not available for Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), which has the biggest subscriber base of more than 50 lakh in the State.

A senior official of a major oil company said that not only had they received any direction from the government to go slow on DBTL but instead there was a notification that stated that there was no violation of the Supreme Court order in collecting Aadhaar number for direct transfer of subsidy.

Subsidy is already being routed through bank accounts in the case of consumers who have become CTC. Such consumers are required to pay the non-subsidized rate while the subsidy component gets credited to their bank accounts. But this has not been without its share of problems. There were complaints of gas agencies collecting more than the actual price and variation in the subsidy credited to their accounts.

Oil company officials said that the market price of domestic LPG will keep on varying monthly and consequently the subsidy component as well. A slight variation in the subsidy credited had been attributed to the tax collected by the State government.

Oil companies also ruled out the gas agencies collecting more than the bill amount stating that though issued by gas agency operators, the bills are being set by the oil companies. For instance, the non-subsidized rate of a domestic LPG cylinder of IOC in Ernakulam comes to Rs. 993.50 while the subsidy comes to about Rs. 525.92.

Keywords: cooking gas supply, Aadhar card, DBTL, CTC, LPG supply in Kerala

4922 - Efforts on to cover all families under Aadhaar - The Hindu

NELLORE, November 5, 2013

Efforts on to cover all families under Aadhaar

A majority yet to get the benefit

The district administration is making additional arrangements to enable all the LPG domestic gas connection holders in Nellore district to get Aadhaar registration and bank linkage by the end of this December.

Efforts are being made to bring all families under the Aadhaar linkage programme so as to pass on the subsidy benefits to them through their respective bank accounts.

There are nearly 5.35 lakh LPG domestic gas connection holders all over the district.

Insufficient Aadhaar centres

Nearly 54 per cent connection holders are yet to be covered under the Aadhaar-bank linkage. This is attributed to the lack of sufficient of Aadhaar centres to enrol families. As a result, authorities have planned to open additional centres.

For the 46 per cent connection holders, who have got Aadhaar registration, the petroleum companies are passing on the subsidy benefits through the banks. This has begun from October itself, even as the respective families are expressing concern over some teething troubles in this process.

The total number of connections covered under Aadhaar-bank linkage is nearly 2.36 lakh. There are complaints that the State component of Rs. 50 is not being repaid to them under the linkage programme.

Three companies supplying gas

The domestic gas supply is being given by three major companies -- Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum and the Indian Oil Corporation.

Nearly 43 dealers are extending these services in different parts of the district.

Of the total 5.34 lakh connections, some 2.32 lakh holders have single cylinders and 1.84 lakh have double cylinders. About 1.26 lakh are covered under the government scheme ‘Deepam’ which is aimed at helping poor families.

4921 - Biman questions Mamata’s criticism of Aadhaar cards - The Hindu

KOLKATA, November 5, 2013

Biman questions Mamata’s criticism of Aadhaar cards

Questioning Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent criticism of the Centre on its move regarding Aadhaar cards, Left Front chairperson Biman Bose asked on Monday what her stand was on the issue when it was taken up by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government of which her party was then a part of.

“When the matter [Aadhaar issue] was brought up by the UPA government, the Left parties had protested against its many anomalies. But what was the stand of the Trinamool Congress then needs to be looked into,” said Mr. Bose, who is a Polit Bureau member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the party’s State Secretary.

Ms. Banerjee on November 1 slammed the Centre for its decision to make Aadhaar cards mandatory for availing government benefits, including cooking gas cylinders at subsidised rates.

‘Technical complications’

Accusing the Centre of trying to impose limitations on the number of subsidised LPG cylinders without clearing the Aadhaar card’s “technical complications”, Mr. Bose said, “We [Left Front] are strongly opposing the Centre’s ploy to take away the benefits of subsidised LPG cylinders from consumers.”

 “The benefits of subsidised cooking gas cylinders received by consumers at present cannot be taken away by any kind of trickery,” he said.

Pointing out that “universal rationing” has been the Left parties’ long-standing demand, he recalled the Supreme Court’s ruling on Aadhaar card where it said the Aadhaar card cannot become the sole requirement for receiving government benefits.

“The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance had also said that if government aids are regulated like this then such benefits would not reach the people,” said Mr. Bose.

‘Lack of transparency’

Alleging lack of transparency, he said a person has to collect his Aadhaar card to avail subsidised LPG cylinders.

The subsidy on the cylinders would then be deposited to the person’s bank account.

“But how will someone, who does not have a bank account, receive the benefits?” he asked.

4916 - Confusion abounds on Aadhaar’s status - The Hindu

HYDERABAD, November 3, 2013

Updated: November 3, 2013 23:30 IST

Confusion abounds on Aadhaar’s status

M. SAI GOPAL

The nearly 22 lakh domestic gas consumers in the city and elsewhere are caught between the proverbial devil and deep sea. Despite relief from the Supreme Court ruling that Aadhaar should not be linked to domestic gas subsidy, LPG agencies continue to collect card data from consumers. Those who have submitted Aadhaar are not happy as subsidy amounts are not being deposited to their bank accounts.

What has angered consumers most is the lack of official attempt to clear the confusion surrounding the apex court verdict de-linking Aadhaar with government subsidy.

At present, most households pay over Rs. 1,000 for a cylinder without availing the direct transfer of the subsidy amount to their banks.

“Why can’t they implement the SC order? The gas agency does not provide us any information. I have begun rejecting the cylinder because they are not remitting the subsidy to my bank account,” says a livid B. Vijaya, a housewife from Mallapur.

Consumers also complain that implementing agencies including banks, gas agencies and oil companies have let them down.

“We have given our Aadhaar card numbers but the bank officials have not done their job properly. When Supreme Court said that there was no need for Aadhaar card, why are authorities still insisting on it? ” wonders Mettuguda resident Rakesh Rao.

Officials say the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) has approached the Supreme Court again, seeking to make Aadhaar mandatory for subsidies.

“We know there are problems in remitting subsidies to bank accounts and we are trying to address them. We are also awaiting the final SC hearing on this issue,” says LPG Gas Co-ordinator, Hyderabad, Madhukar Ingole.

At present, only 58 per cent of domestic consumers have submitted their Aadhaar numbers to the banks. The authorities had held a series of meetings with the State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) to discuss the slow pace of linking bank accounts with Aadhaar.

“We have requested bankers to hasten the process of repayment to customers. Lot of work is yet to be done on this front,” Mr. Ingole says.

4912 - Mamata attacks Centre on Aadhaar cards - The Hindu

KOLKATA, November 1, 2013

Updated: November 1, 2013 22:30 IST

Mamata attacks Centre on Aadhaar cards

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. File photo

Slamming the Centre for its decision to make Aadhaar cards mandatory to avail of facilities, like cooking gas cylinders at subsidised rates, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her “shock” and opposition to the move, saying here on Friday that “one party cannot continue to be in power forever but the government continues forever.”

“If it [the party in power] does not take care of the people then the people will give a fitting reply,” she cautioned, a remark not without political significance at a time when the country is looking at the next Lok Sabha elections.

The Centre must make clear whether it accepts the Supreme Court verdict on the issue and also ensure that Aadhaar cards are not made compulsory. It should also say whether it will be able to complete the distribution of Aadhaar cards within the three-month stipulated period, said Ms. Banerjee.

“In my State, the distribution of Aadhaar cards is only 15 to 20 per cent,” the Chief Minister said, adding that the Centre “cannot say that you [the State] have to complete this within such a time.” She sought a review of the matter while reacting to an advertisement issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas appearing in certain city newspapers on the day linking LPG subsidy to Aadhaar cards for the city, Howrah and Cooch Behar districts.

The stricture related to Aadhaar cards for the direct transfer of subsidies on cooking gas cylinders does not reflect “the right attitude.” “I am shocked to see this attitude. People are not beggars, why are they the sufferers?” she asked, coming down on government agencies for “harassing people.”

Wondering how many cards the Centre expects a citizen to have, Ms. Banerjee said: “This is a serious matter… We must consider having a single card that will serve all purposes.” “Only one uniform card is needed or unique card – whatever you want to call it” or else “banks must open a locker for the cards as there are so many.” If not there may be “a garland of cards but the problem will not be solved.”

Pointing out that she had received a letter from the Petroleum Ministry asking a weekly ‘bus day’ to be observed and work hours changed in State offices to save on fuel, Ms. Banerjee accused it of giving her “ridiculous statements without taking a serious view.”

“I think it is a lame excuse and it is negligence on the part of the government to take this type of hasty decisions,” she said.

“What kind of a situation is this? Let the Central government do it first; then they should ask the State government to do it. We have a federal structure [in the country]. You are not taking any action but advising other people that there will be a ‘bus day.’ Will it solve the problem?” she asked.

Keywords: Adhaar card, Mamata Banerjee, LPG subsidy

4908 - ‘Delink gas supply from Aadhaar card’ - The Hindu

VIJAYAWADA, October 31, 2013

Updated: October 31, 2013 12:32 IST

‘Delink gas supply from Aadhaar card’

The Communist Party of India-Marxist has demanded that the State government withdrew its policy of linking supply of subsidised gas with cash transfer scheme (CTS). The CTS should be put off, if it is not possible to completely withdraw the scheme, until every citizen received her/her Aadhaar card and has a bank account, the party said.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, CPI (M) city secretary Ch. Babu Rao said that the government decision to link the gas and supply of rationed goods with Aadhaar cards and bank accounts has led to chaos.

Half of the population did not receive their Aadhaar cards and have no bank accounts. The commoner was puzzled how the scheme could be implemented when the Aadhaar cards were not issued to more than half of the people in the city. The banks were not willing to open accounts.

The government should give a direction to the bankers to allow people to open zero balance accounts, he said. The price of a cylinder has increased by Rs.50 following linking the supply with bank accounts. The consumers were forced to shell out Rs.1,088 per cylinder even though the subsidised cylinder costs Rs. 410.

‘No cash transfer’

The subsidy amount was not transferred to the customers’ bank accounts. The subsidy was coming down significantly as the government was collecting Rs.25 towards VAT and cut in subsidy of Rs.25. Cash was not being transferred into the customers’ accounts even though the government promised so, he said. In some cases, the money was transferred into pension accounts even though the beneficiary gave details of some other account number, he said. The State wanted to implement the scheme come what may, he said.

4898 - ‘Aadhaar scheme not approved by Parliament’ - The Hindu

NEW DELHI, October 23, 2013

‘Aadhaar scheme not approved by Parliament’

GIRIJA SHIVAKUMAR

The BJP on Tuesday said the Aadhaar scheme of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) did not have Parliament's approval and was rejected by one of the key committees of the House.

“The National Identification Authority of India Bill, 2010, which gives sanction to this particular card was rejected by the standing committee on Finance,” said BJP vice-president Smriti Irani. The programme violated the Constitutional right to privacy, she alleged.

The inclusion of all residents in the Unique Identification number (UID) scheme would threaten the nation's security by giving illegal migrants rights of citizens, she said.

Interestingly, the scheme received praise from surprise quarters with the BJD’s Jay Panda describing it as the “only thing that the UPA government is doing right”.

Mr. Panda admitted to being a great supporter of the scheme and ‘championing’ it nationally as well as internationally.

UIDAI Chairman Nandan Nilekani asserted that the authority would cross the target of generating 60-crore Aadhaar numbers before the deadline of 2014 in the next few months. Mr. Nilekani said 46-crore numbers had been issued so far.

“The key issue lies in meeting the expectations of an increasingly aspirational generation and to understand that aspiration is a non-linear commodity. It cannot be one way or the other; it has to be an integration of bazaar, samaj and sarkar to take India to the next level. Technology will play a key role in this, be it reaching healthcare to the villages or making PDS supplies available to people,” Mr. Nilekani said after delivering a keynote address on “India's journey to 2018” at an event organised by the Eisenhower Foundation.

Responding to criticism of the scheme, he highlighted its importance of reaching entitlements to the people. The government believed in inclusion and a large number of Indians did not have a valid identification.

“We believe in inclusion. Fundamentally, we need to shift to higher gear ... We have huge demand from all across the society for Aadhaar numbers. We have to make sure that the delivery model is more equitable and efficient,” he said.

4883 - Aadhaar-based DBT of LPG will be extended to 21 districts in Karnataka - The Hindu

BANGALORE, October 24, 2013

Updated: October 24, 2013 03:55 IST

Aadhaar-based DBT of LPG will be extended to 21 districts in Karnataka

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

In the first phase, the scheme was launched in Mysore and Tumkur districts, and later in Dharwad and Udupi districts. File Photo: M.A. Sriram

The State government and banks, based on the Centre’s guidelines, have decided to implement the Aadhaar-based Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG (DBTL) scheme in 21 districts.

The scheme has already been implemented in four districts — Mysore, Tumkur, Dharwad and Udupi .

While DBTL will be launched in Uttara Kannada and Gadag on November 1, it will be implemented in six districts on December 1 and 13 other districts on January 1.

Addressing top officials of various banks at the 125th meeting of the State-level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) here on Wednesday, Sudhir Kumar Jain, Chairman SLBC and Managing Director, SyndicateBank, said the scheme will be implemented in Haveri, Bangalore Urban, Koppal, Bidar, Davangere and Bijapur on Rajyotsava Day and in Chickballapur, Belgaum , Bangalore Rural, Bagalkot, Chikmagalur, Gulbarga, Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Bellary, Kolar, Ramanagaram, and Chamarajangar on New Year’s Day.

He said awareness has been created among LPG consumers on the importance of account opening and Aadhaar seeding. “We will write to the oil companies and LPG distribution agencies to intimate banks about the progress of DBTL among their respective customers,” he said.

In the first phase, the scheme was launched in Mysore and Tumkur districts where 65 per cent and 63 per cent LPG consumers, respectively, linked their Aadhaar number to bank accounts, he said.

The scheme was launched in Dharwad and Udupi districts from October 1. The banks have been told to implement the scheme effectively in association with the district administration.

He said the list of 26 schemes of Central sector/Centrally-sponsored schemes identified for DBT has been circulated to all banks.

Mr. Jain said the State government intends to hold an ‘Edu Fair’ in association with banks, educational institutions and insurance companies from November 15 to 17 in Bangalore.

Keywords: Aadhaar-based Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG, DBTL, State-level Bankers’ Committee

4877 - Aadhaar not approved by Parliament, says BJP - The Hindu

NEW DELHI, October 22, 2013

Updated: October 22, 2013 20:16 IST

Aadhaar not approved by Parliament, says BJP

GIRIJA SHIVAKUMAR

The BJP on Tuesday said the Aadhaar card of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) does not have Parliament's approval and rejected by one of the key committees of the House.

“The Authority of India Bill, 2010, which gives sanction to this particular card was rejected by the standing committee on Finance,” said BJP vice-president Smriti Irani. The programme violated the Constitutional right to privacy, she alleged.

The inclusion of all residents in the Unique Identification number (UID) scheme would threaten the nation's security by giving illegal migrants rights of citizens, she said.

Interestingly, the scheme received praise from surprise quarters with the BJD’s Jay Panda describing it as the “only thing that the UPA government is doing right”.

Mr. Panda admitted to being a great supporter of the scheme and ‘championing’ it nationally as well as internationally.

UIDAI Chairman Nandan Nilekani asserted that the authority would cross the target of generating 60 crore Aadhaar numbers before the deadline of 2014 in the next few months. Mr. Nilekani said 46 crore numbers had been issued so far.

“The key issue lies in meeting the expectations of an increasingly aspirational generation and to understand that aspiration is a non-linear commodity. It cannot be one way or the other; it has to be an integration of bazaar, samaj and sarkar to take India to the next level. Technology will play a key role in this, be it reaching healthcare to the villages or making PDS supplies available to people,” Mr. Nilekani said after delivering a keynote address on “India's journey to 2018” at an event organised by the Eisenhower Foundation.

Responding to criticism of the scheme, he highlighted its importance of reaching entitlements to the people. The government believed in inclusion and a large number of Indians did not have a valid identification.

“We believe in inclusion. Fundamentally, we need to shift to higher gear... We have huge demand from all across society for Aadhaar numbers. We have to make sure that the delivery model is more equitable and efficient,” he said.

4876 - IT spending as stimulus - The Hindu

BUSINESS » INDUSTRY

October 22, 2013

IT spending as stimulus

V. SRIDHAR

It is in this context that the recent report by Gartner Inc., which projects a 7 per cent increase in government IT spending, comes as good news for the Indian IT services industry.

Gartner Inc.’s report projecting 7 per cent increase in govt. IT spending comes as good news for the industry

Government IT budgets have never mattered as much as they now do in determining the fortunes of IT service providers across the world. When the IT services industry was growing at the scorching pace that it enjoyed during the decade before the global economic meltdown began five years ago, it could afford to be choosy about government contracts. This was not only because government contracts were perceived to take longer to consummate — arising obviously from the generally higher standards of accountability when compared to the private sector — but also because such contracts are characterised by lower margins, delayed payments and generally more cumbersome procedures. 

But the retarded growth of the global economy, which has resulted in the scaling down of projects, lower margins and a generally longer decision-making cycle means that they no longer enjoy the luxury of picking clients.

It is in this context that the recent report by Gartner Inc., which projects a 7 per cent increase in government IT spending, comes as good news for the Indian IT services industry. Gartner, the international technology research and advisory, on Friday, said it estimates Indian government spending — inclusive of Union, States and agencies of the Union Government — to amount to $6.4 billion (about Rs. 39,216 crore). Last year, government spending in IT, which Gartner defines as including hardware, software, external IT services and telecommunications and the cost of personnel in all these activities, was estimated by the consultancy as being $5.92 billion (about Rs. 36,275 crore).

Of course, as always, IT services will account for the biggest portion of the government budget. Gartner projects that this segment, which includes implementation and IT outsourcing (including business process processing), would grow by 7.7 per cent in the current year, reaching $1.4 billion (Rs. 8,579 crore).

Anurag Gupta, research director at Gartner, points out that the government spending on BPO is projected to grow 15.5 per cent during the current year. Government spending on IT staff within government organisations is projected to grow 13 per cent during the current year. This spending is mainly as salaries and benefits to staff, for planning, developing and maintain information systems within the government sector, Gartner notes.

Expenditure on software deployment within government is projected to grow at 10.5 per cent in 2013, touching $709 million (Rs. 4,344 crores), compared to $642 million (Rs. 3,934 crore) in 2012. Gartner reports that growth in this segment is likely to be led by “vertical-specific software”, applications that are unique to specific industries. “These are standalone applications that are not modules or extensions of horizontal applications,” Gartner explains.

The Indian IT industry, which during its dream run was scornful of the prospect of catering to the government sector, now clearly sees this segment as providing a measure of stability in a volatile world in which currency volatility is only one aspect of the rising level of risk.

Support for Aadhaar

This explains the Indian IT industry’s vociferous support for the controversial Aadhaar project, which is only one of the 31 “mission mode projects” initiated by the Indian Government in the last few years.

In April, the Department of Electronics and IT, in a “strategic direction paper” on the GI Cloud Project — known evocatively as Meghraj — observed that while the cloud model was transforming the manner in which information is being “consumed,” the legal, contractual, economic and security aspects of the technology are “yet to attain maturity.”

It said the Meghraj, the ‘Indian cloud’, would be used by the Union and State governments for the delivery of various services.

The Indian IT services industry obviously sees tremendous opportunities in such schemes.

Significantly, S. Gopalakrishnan, Executive Vice-Chairman of Infosys, the second biggest exporter of outsourced services from India, was appointed by the department as the head of the working group that is to set the ground rules or the policy framework for cloud services in India.

Obviously, Indian and foreign IT service providers of various hues see enormous opportunities in the rollout of such a nationwide cloud network. The Department of Electronics and IT proposes to establish Meghraj on “data centre assets” belonging to the Union and State governments.

The proposal is to connect these data centres through the National Knowledge Network, State Wide Area Networks (SWAN) and the Internet. When Meghraj matures, resulting in greater demand for could-based services, the government “may also engage the services of private cloud providers”, the paper stated.

The government, far from being the slouch that it is often made out to be, is actually the risk-taker in technology, investing public money that paves the way for the eventual entry of private ‘entrepreneurs’ after much of the risk has been stripped away.

Keywords: Aadhaar, UIDAI, ITeS, e-governance, government IT spending, Gartner Inc., GI Cloud Project, Meghraj, Indian Cloud, cloud computing

4873 - Plan to set up permanent centre for Aadhaar cards in Madurai - The Hindu

MADURAI, October 21, 2013

Updated: October 21, 2013 14:25 IST

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Plan to set up permanent centre for Aadhaar cards in Madurai

ANXIOUS WAIT: Aadhaar card seekers thronging the special camp at Al Ameen Higher Secondary School in K. Pudur on Sunday. Photo: R. Ashok

There is a proposal to set up a permanent centre to issue ‘Aadhaar’ cards in the city.

The Census Department officials are holding talks with the Corporation authorities to finalise the location for this proposed office. Sources said on Sunday that the current campaign to register and issue Aadhaar cards will be completed in Madurai by first week of December.

Second round (October 2-27) of special aadhaar card camps are being conducted in various wards in zone-2.

Being the first day and a holiday as well, there was a huge turnout at Aadhaar centres and there were serpentine queues all through the day on Sunday. Corporation officials said people must bring the 2010 census slip and address proof. Children above five years of age can also register themselves for the card.

Those who do not have census slip will have to register at the centre itself and come on the prescribed day for aadhaar card formalities. After completing the wards in zone-2, the special campaign will be conducted for wards in zone-4 and areas which were added to the corporation.

After competing the entire Corporation area, the officials will take steps to open a permanent office for issuing Aadhaar cards.

Those who had already obtained Aadhaar cards during the special drive conducted through private agencies earlier have been asked to link the unique identification number with the National Population Register at the camps being conducted now from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In some places, the second phase of voter enrolment is also going on. Corporation employees, district administration staff and police are present in these centres.

“School campuses have become public utility centres and the response is good. We hope the remuneration to staff will be given quickly,” said R. Basheer Ahamed Khan, Headmaster, Al Ameen Higher Secondary School in K.Pudur where aadhaar cards camp and voter enrolment are going on for ward 45.

Keywords: Madurai Aadhaar card, Aadhaar card enrollment centres, Madurai Corporation, Census, K Pudur

4852 - Bloopers abound as updating proves tedious for Aadhaar - The Hindu

BANGALORE, October 16, 2013

Bloopers abound as updating proves tedious for Aadhaar

DEEPA KURUP

According to a senior UIDAI official, the first level of check is at the enrolment centre, where the operator asks the resident to view the data entered and suggest corrections.— File photo V. Sreenivasa Murthy

People say attempts to correct errors online or by writing to UIDAI futile

Sarita (name changed), a 33-year-old resident of Koramangala, says she has been “extremely unlucky” with the Aadhaar enrolment process.

First, a tout took Rs. 300 from her and told her he would get her an Aadhaar appointment. Then, when the tout disappeared with her money, she applied at the local Aadhaar centre only to get a card with her age wrong and name misspelt.

Attempts to inquire with the enrolment centre had her running around in circles.

“Then, a few months ago they (enrolment centre personnel) said I could do this process online. The surprising part was that they said they could not help me with that!” she says.

Ms. Sarita says that she wasn’t able to go through the online process (which at the first look doesn’t appear too complicated) and that the system did not generate a one-time password.

Corrections tedious

Residents from across Bangalore, whom The Hindu spoke with, said the Aadhaar details were prone to errors, and worse, the system used to make corrections was largely inaccessible.

This is despite the fact that in recent months, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has made attempts to remedy the system by setting up an online and offline procedure for corrections and updating.

“Yes, there is a provision to correct data online, but as a senior citizen I found it difficult to get through the process. The other option, which is sending it by post to the UIDAI office, has not yielded any response.

I’m yet to get even a simple acknowledgement,” says a septuagenarian resident of Jal Vayu Vihar.

In his case, he registered at the Chinnaswamy stadium enrolment centre. He says that while the data entered was error-free, the address was all jumbled up when they received the Aadhaar document.

“The flat number was affixed to the street name, which completely changes the address,” he points out. “What is funny is that those who enrolled with me did not have these errors,” he says, adding that at least 10 residents in his colony had got jumbled addresses.

Confusion

The confusion around whether or not the Aadhaar card was mandatory was not helping the situation.

“I did not complain earlier because we were told that the card was not mandatory. But now, we are being told that for getting LPG subsidy, we need to link the Aadhaar number to our bank accounts. Given it is being made mandatory for such crucial services, they must be doubly careful.”

SC order

Despite a Supreme Court order that said the Aadhaar cannot be made mandatory for any services or subsidies, oil and gas companies are yet to issue a fresh directive on the matter.

Another resident in the same colony got the Aadhaar document delivered to his address, but the document had his address printed as Mathikere. Oddly, the postal department got the address right and delivered it to the right address. A complaint was made in June and an acknowledgement for it was received three months later. But, the updated document is yet to reach him.

Options available

When contacted, a senior UIDAI official conceded that the updating process could do with some speeding up. The official explained that the authority was well aware of the problem and gave citizens two options to get the data corrected: online (by entering your Aadhaar number and getting a one-time password for verification) and offline (by downloading an application and posting it to the UIDAI regional office). Further, the UIDAI is also planning to start centres that will exclusively deal with updating citizen data.

“But, the first level of check is at the enrolment centre, where the operator asks the resident to view the data entered and suggest corrections. After this also, the resident can make corrections within 96 hours of enrolment. When so many opportunities are given, residents should be careful at this stage so no wrong data is entered.”

4831 - But for court ruling, 24 lakh would have lost access to subsidised LPG - The Hindu

NEW DELHI, October 12, 2013

But for court ruling, 24 lakh would have lost access to subsidised LPG

NITIN SETHI

“Only subsidy and not service has been made conditional on providing the Aadhaar number”

The Supreme Court order on Aadhaar is expected to provide relief to more than 24 lakh people in 20 districts who would have got locked out of access to subsidised LPG gas cylinders for not having valid UID cards that are linked to banks.

The court in its interim order said no one should be denied benefits of a government scheme for lack of Aadhaar cards.

The government and Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) sent petitions asking for relief but the Supreme Court refused to alter the ruling, instead setting an early date of October 22 for the final hearing.

OMC argument

The OMCs told the court that the scheme to transfer subsidy, in cash, for the LPG cylinders had been launched in 20 districts in June 2013. The second phase in another 34 districts was planned for September and in another 44 districts for October.

They also informed the court that the policy was to cut off subsidy to those consumers who had not got their Aadhaar cards linked to the bank accounts as well as their LPG connections. The cut-off would take place after a three-month grace period. The cut-off date for the 20 districts officially began in the beginning of September.

The OMCs then admitted that only 60 per cent of the consumers had got their Aadhaar numbers linked to both banks and LPG distributors. The others “may enrol themselves in due course – when they will become eligible to receive the subsidy for balance entitlement,” the plea said. They was a possibility that these were all cases of fake or duplicate LPG connections, in which case they may never enrol.

Out of 50.88 lakh cards that were checked for duplication, the authorities found that 45,000 cardholders with multiple connections, the OMCs told the court.

The application by the Unique Identification Authority of India is carefully worded to couch this concern. “There is no disruption of service (supply of LPG at market price) to consumers who do not provide Aadhaar, as only subsidy and not service has been made conditional on providing the Aadhaar number.”

Though the OMCs talk of 40 per cent of the consumers in the first phase still not being linked to receive the cash subsidy, the authority’s application reads: “Consistent with the resolution of the government that there is no undue hardship during the makeover to Aadhaar enabled systems, the scheme is being introduced in a staggered manner in districts with a high proliferation of Aadhaar.”

The Union Cabinet note for the National Identification Authority of India Bill, finalised some days before the application before the court, reveals more.

It said that till August end, 49.42 lakh consumers had got their subsidy paid in cash for LPG cylinders out of the total of 73.66 lakh consumers holding connections.

The Cabinet note is also self-contradictory in parts. In one part, it talks of making the UID mandatory only for public benefits when the UIDAI programme is fully rolled out and Aadhaar numbers are issued to all residents. But for the cash against the LPG scheme, the government has already pushed to make it mandatory.

In another part of the note, the government states that the entire investment in the UID scheme would become ‘infructuous’ if Aadhaar is not made compulsory for government schemes once it’s fully rolled out.

The OMCs, again running against the government’s logic of making Aadhaar mandatory only when it is fully rolled out, have pleaded before the court that not permitting authorities to implement the cash subsidy for the LPG scheme in its present shape would cause immense problems and trigger “serious doubts and confusion and uncertainty in the minds of several crores of residents in India who have already enrolled for Aadhaar, regarding the validity and usefulness of Aadhaar.”

4821 - ‘UIDAI, an experiment on entire population’ - Hindu

‘UIDAI, an experiment on entire population’

STAFF REPORTER

Usha Ramanathan— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

A fortnight after the Supreme Court passed an interim order stating that Aadhaar could not be made mandatory for providing subsidies or for getting government scheme benefits, Usha Ramanathan, an independent law researcher, here on Monday spoke about the uncertainty about the future of the project of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

Delivering a talk on the Aadhaar project and its implications in the context of the directive of the Supreme Court, she said that even as the hearing of the three oil PSUs who moved to the Supreme Court seeking modification of its earlier order is due on Tuesday, there was a need for people to raise their voice and question the process as it infringes on issues pertaining to privacy.

Stating that the UIDAI was an “experiment” on the entire population of the country. Making a dig at how the data was collected for the homeless, she said that there was a need to produce multiple identities in order to get an identity. Citing an example of a homeless person whose address for the card was that of an NGO, she said that it would create confusion at a later stage. “The system does not have an understanding of how the poor live,” she added. She said that the State should ensure that it does not infringe on the privacy of the citizens as UIDAI data can be conveniently used by the marketing industry.

4810 - Aadhaar makes life simpler: Nilekani - The Hindu

MUMBAI, October 10, 2013

Aadhaar makes life simpler: Nilekani

Unique Identification Authority of India chairman Nandan Nilekani defended Aadhaar and said it “dramatically improves convenience”and makes life “simpler.”

“People often think that why do they need the Aadhaar number. Fundamentally, our view is that the possession of an Aadhaar number dramatically improves convenience in your life,” Nilekani said at the launch of an Aadhaar-linked banking facility here on Wednesday.

“You can use it for a variety of things, make your life simpler, get access to public services, transfer money,” he said.

His remarks come a day after the Supreme Court refused to make Aadhaar compulsory to avail welfare benefits. PTI

4804 - SC rejects Centre’s plea to modify its order on Aadhaar - The Hindu

SC rejects Centre’s plea to modify its order on Aadhaar

October 8, 2013 , By PTI 

Aadhaar is the only fool proof mechanism to check misuse of subsidies, claims the government.

The Centre on Tuesday failed to get any relief on Aadhaar card being made compulsory for availing social benefits, particularly gas cylinder subsidies, from the Supreme Court which turned down its plea to modify its interim order that no person be deprived of any schemes for want of Aadhaar.

A batch of top government lawyers including Attorney General G.E. Vahanvati and Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran tried their best to convince the court to modify its order, saying that it would severely affect grant of gas subsidies and the entire distribution system in 97 districts would come to a standstill.

However a bench of Justices B.S. Chauhan and S.A. Bobde said it would pass the order after getting the response of the petitioners on the application moved by the Centre.

The bench in its interim order had said that the Aadhaar card be not made mandatory for people for availing any government services and nobody should be deprived of any such facilities for the want of the card.

The bench however agreed to give an urgent hearing on a bunch of petitions challenging the legal status of Aadhaar card being issued by Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

Observing that the prevailing situation is a “double edged problem”, the bench said that no order can be passed without hearing the parties who challenged the Aadhaar and posted the case for final hearing after Dussehra vacation.

Pushing hard to convince the bench, the AG submitted that the apex court interim order would have serious implications and thousands of people who are given gas cylinder subsidies would be affected.

“Aadhaar is the only fool proof mechanism to check misuse of subsidies. People won’t get gas cylinder subsidies. 76 per cent consumers are registered under the Aadhaar and they will be affected,” the AG submitted.

Additional Solicitor General L. Nageshwar Rao, appearing for oil PSU, also pleaded for modification of order, saying that distribution system would come to a grinding halt and we cannot get back to the old system.

4802 - Despite SC order, Aadhaar still mandatory for food scheme in Delhi - The Hindu

NEW DELHI, October 9, 2013

Despite SC order, Aadhaar still mandatory for food scheme in Delhi

SOWMIYA ASHOK

A beneficiary of the Food Security Scheme showing her identity card at Trilokpuri on Tuesday. Photo: Meeta Ahlawat

‘Authorities tell beneficiaries they will only accept Aadhaar cards’

Deepak Kumar is like any other 18-year-old. He has spiked hair, a goatie and is dressed in skinny jeans and a well-fitted shirt. Even though he has not “officially” commenced his Political Science degree, he puts his practical knowledge from volunteering with JOSH--an NGO in Trilokpuri--to good use.

“If you notice there are no traffic lights in Trilokpuri,” he declares, as he dodges a Grameen Seva vehicle, on the “short walk” between JOSH’s office in Block 5 to Block 32. “These Grameen Seva drivers always try to overtake each other…” he continues.

The sun beats down on Trilokpuri, a resettlement colony in East Delhi that stands on the fringes of Mayur Vihar Phase-I as Deepak talks about the local market that sprouts up after dark and the upcoming elections being the reason for the “unusually” clean surroundings. In his hand is a notebook that has names of his “case studies”--potential beneficiaries of the food security scheme who have been denied benefits for lack of an Aadhaar card.

It is Tuesday, the same day that the Supreme Court upheld its interim order that no person be deprived of availing social benefits for want of an Aadhaar card, and had turned down the plea of the Centre to modify its earlier order.

Deepak and his teammate 19-year-old Mukesh Haldar are both aware of the Supreme Court’s stance. “Our team has been looking at the Right to Food Scheme that was launched on August 20. For the last two months, we have been interacting with people in this neighbourhood to record their experiences with availing benefits under this scheme,” says Deepak.

Mukesh himself serves as a “case study” having approached the Food Office in Mayur Vihar Phase-I seeking benefits for his family. “I noticed that on the forms submitted by people, the names of those without Aadhaar cards were being cut off,” he says. “The authorities said they will only accept Aadhaar cards and when I pointed out that it had become voluntary I was told to take it up with the Chief Minister,” he adds.

At JOSH’s minority resources centre in Trilokpuri’s Block-32, Deepak asks 32-year-old Najma Jafru, a resident of nearby Ambedkar Camp, if she gets benefits under the food security scheme. “Both my son and I have Aadhaar cards but my husband doesn’t. Despite this we have not received rations,” she says.

Kushboo Khan (16), who quietly listens to Najma, was among those who lined up as early as 4 a.m. to register for the Aadhaar. “My siblings and I had to register for the card very recently since they were not giving us rations otherwise. Only my parents had registered for the card, so our family of six, was getting only 10 kg of wheat and 2 kg of rice,” she says.

The volunteers are also preparing questions to put forth to the government under the RTI Act, says JOSH’s programme coordinator Priyanka Rustagi.