Aadhar Outrages
- The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government’s unique identification number (UID) project is meant for better targeting of subsidies but it inturn is causing hardship to the poor.
- The Supreme Court’s interim order says that no person should suffer for want of Aadhaar number. Despite this, government departments and institutions continue to insist for Adhaar No.
- Kiran Devi (60 yr), living in slum in South Delhi was recieving a pension of Rs.1,000 from Delhi government. Suddenly her bank blocked her widow’s pension for want of an Aadhaar number. The worst affected are the migrant workers living in slums, including many like her.
- Servises like —old-age pension, income certificate, domicile certificate, below-poverty-line ration cards, all have made producing an Adhaar Card compulsory to avail services.
- The government in Jharkhand, in its pursuit to achieve 100% Adhaar registrations, has ended up blocking wages under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS).
- NREGS information system has been linked with Aadhaar in Jharkand & Block development officers (BDOs) are being pressurized to achieve 100%. Government continues to insist on Adhaar, even as this has created apprehensions of privacy & data security violations. People, now, are demanding an ‘opt-out option’.
- The direct benefit transfer scheme (DBT) where transferring LPG subsidy to the Aadhaar-linked bank accounts of beneficiaries has been stopped, as beneficiaries have become victims & are suffering as UID has been made compulsory.
- Jean Dreze & others have challenged the exclusion of MGNREGS Workers for want of Adhaar No. in SC.
- In the ongoing hearing, petitioners & Parliamentary Standing Committee h(in its report on cyber crime, cyber security and right to privacy) have raised concerns about right to privacy. They say that is a violation of right to privacy under the Information Technology Act.
- There is no legal framework for privacy in place yet & Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) is in the process of evolving legislation to address privacy concerns. There seems to be complete ignorance about data protection & misuse of biometrics.
- Data is collected without briefing about the inherent risks involved. Even if ‘opt-out option’ is provided, what is the guarantee that data collected from any particular person will be destroyed ?
- The linking of Aadhaar to social schemes despite SC’s order is creating barriers for people who are in need as they are provided limited benefits by the state.
Exams Perspective:
- Right to Privacy
- Information Technology Act
- National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS)
- unique identification number (UID)
- Drawbacks of Adhaar
- UIDAI