Government of India's UID project is to be welcomed, though it was mooted some years ago by the NDA government especially to identify foreigners, especially Bangladeshis in the border areas, and give them work permits. It is never too late.
The most important benefit of such an identity card is to reach the poor with government assistance - food-grains, subsidy, work in government projects etc. The Suresh Tendulkar Committee report states that 41.8 percent rural population and 25.7 percent urban population is below the poverty line while it is 37.2 percent of the total Indian population. The government of India spends almost Rs.200,000 crore in its welfare schemes every year and the recent report indicate that there is lot of leakage in all these projects. For example, " All hype : Centre's rural job scheme has helped only 4 %" is the headline of a report in DNA ( January 21,2009)
If the poor in India are given this UID, the government may be able to reach them directly without any intermediaries and plug the loophole in these schemes. All poor should also have a bank account or account with the post office. This will enable the government to pay any financial assistance directly. The TCS has devised a software to make the unlettered literate in a few weeks/months. This could be added to the scheme to enable the poor to understand what they are entitled to and how to get it.
If government can give these two sections - foreigners and the poor - on a priority basis, the Indian government can claim a major achievement. The other sections can be easily added later on - the middle class and the rich - who have already some identification - pan card, bank account,ration card etc.
Of course, there is a fear that all this may lead to a " surveillance society" and the theft of identity. These two are big challenges for the project. However, there are more benefits for people as well as the government in this scheme. USA has its social security card. Another challenge is the authenticity. There are many mistakes in the ration card and election identity card. It is not there in the pan card. The project has to employ people qualified to do the job properly and responsibly.It may be a good idea to get corporates/NGOs/ banks involved so that project could be expedited.
( These suggestions were sent to Karmayog, a website for NGOs and concerned citizens, to exchange views and to take them with the concerned authorities, and make India a participatory democracy).
January 25,2009.
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The most important benefit of such an identity card is to reach the poor with government assistance - food-grains, subsidy, work in government projects etc. The Suresh Tendulkar Committee report states that 41.8 percent rural population and 25.7 percent urban population is below the poverty line while it is 37.2 percent of the total Indian population. The government of India spends almost Rs.200,000 crore in its welfare schemes every year and the recent report indicate that there is lot of leakage in all these projects. For example, " All hype : Centre's rural job scheme has helped only 4 %" is the headline of a report in DNA ( January 21,2009)
If the poor in India are given this UID, the government may be able to reach them directly without any intermediaries and plug the loophole in these schemes. All poor should also have a bank account or account with the post office. This will enable the government to pay any financial assistance directly. The TCS has devised a software to make the unlettered literate in a few weeks/months. This could be added to the scheme to enable the poor to understand what they are entitled to and how to get it.
If government can give these two sections - foreigners and the poor - on a priority basis, the Indian government can claim a major achievement. The other sections can be easily added later on - the middle class and the rich - who have already some identification - pan card, bank account,ration card etc.
Of course, there is a fear that all this may lead to a " surveillance society" and the theft of identity. These two are big challenges for the project. However, there are more benefits for people as well as the government in this scheme. USA has its social security card. Another challenge is the authenticity. There are many mistakes in the ration card and election identity card. It is not there in the pan card. The project has to employ people qualified to do the job properly and responsibly.It may be a good idea to get corporates/NGOs/ banks involved so that project could be expedited.
( These suggestions were sent to Karmayog, a website for NGOs and concerned citizens, to exchange views and to take them with the concerned authorities, and make India a participatory democracy).
January 25,2009.
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