what the uid conceals

8/6/2019 What the UID Conceals

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STUDENT-10

Contributed By: Mr. Prem Kumar

Basic IAS Academy

http://www.basicias.com

What The UID Conceals


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ownloaded From: http://www.upscportal.comSTUDENT 1

http://www.upscportal.com

What The UID Conceals

The UID project has both security and

developmental dimensions. The former leads to an

invasive state; the latter leaves us with a retreating state.

1. Is identity the missing link in Indias efforts to

rise as an inclusive economic superpower? Can an

identity-linked and technology-based solution change the

face of governance in India? Given the euphoria around

the Unique Identification (UID) project, one is tempted to

believe so. However, a careful look at the project would

show that the euphoria is just hyperbole; only the politically

nave can afford to ignore the far-reaching implications of

this Orwellian project.2.One can summarise the criticisms of the UID

project under four heads. First, the project would

necessarily entail the violation of privacy and civil liberties

of people. Second, it remains unclear whether biometric

technology the cornerstone of the project is capable

of the gigantic task of de-duplication. The Unique

Identification Authority of Indias (UIDAI) Biometrics

Standards Committee has noted that retaining biometric

efficiency for a database of more than one billion persons

has not been adequately analysed and the problem of

fingerprint quality in India has not been studied in depth.

Third, there has been no cost-benefit analysis or feasibilityreport for the project till now. Finally, the purported benefits

of the project in the social sector, such as in the Public

Distribution System (PDS), are largely illusive. The problem

of duplicate ration cards is often hugely exaggerated. Even

so, some States have largely eliminated duplicate ration cards

using lower technologies like hologram-enabled ration

cards.

3.In this larger context, the UID project has two

distinct political dimensions. The first dimension is that the

project is fundamentally linked to national security

concerns rather than developmental concerns. In fact,

the marketing team of the UIDAI has always been on an

overdrive to hush up the security angle, and play up the

developmental angle, to render it more appealing.

4. The first phase of todays UID project was initiated

in 1999 by the NDA government in the wake of the Kargil

War. Following the reports of the Kargil Review Committee

in 2000, and a Group of Ministers in 2001, the NDA

government decided to compulsorily register all citizens

into a National Population Register (NPR) and issue a

Multi-purpose National Identity Card (MNIC) to each

citizen. To ease this process, clauses related to individual

privacy in the Citizenship Act of 1955 were weakened

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1 Hkkjr }kjk vius vki dks vkfFkZd fo'o'kfDr ds :i esafLFkr djus esa D;k igpku cuk ikuk ,d eq[; /kkj.k jgk\ D;kigpku laca/kh vkSj rduhd vk/kkfjr lek/kku Hkkjrh; iz'kklu dhfLFkfr esa ifjorZu ykus esa l{ke gksaxs\ fof'k"V igpku dh ifj;kstukdk lqjhyk iz pkj rks gesa bu ckrksa ij fo'okl djus ij etcwj djrkgSA rFkkfi] ;fn bl ifj;kstuk dks /;kuiwoZd ns[ksa rks Li"V gks tkrkgS fd bl ;kstuk ds fo"k; esa gks gYyk epkuk dsoy jktuS frd nkao gS ]

ftls lHkor% bl nwjxkeh my>uksa dh vogsyuk djuk laHko ugha gksA2- ;w- vkbZ- Mh- ifj;kstuk dh vkykspuk pkj 'kh"kZdkssa ds

varxZr dh tk ldrh gSA igyk&;g ifj;kstuk vuko';d :i esayksxksa dh futrk vkSj Lora=Rkk ds vf/kdkj dh vogsyuk gSA nwljk;g Li"V ugha gS fd ck;ksehfVd rduhd&tks bl ifj;kstuk dk vaxgS & D;k bl ckr dh iqf"V djrk gS fd blesa MqIyhds'ku ugha gksxkAck;ksehfVd LVSaMM~Zl desVh us bldh {kerk ij fVIi.kh djrs gq,dgk gS fd bldh l{kerk dk] brus djksM+ yksxksa ds MkVk dks laHkkyikus dh] lgh vkdyu vHkh ugha gks ik;k gSA fQj vaxqyh ds fu'kkuds laca/k esa] Hkkjrh; ifjizs{; esa] laHkkoukvkssa ij Hkh xgurkiwoZd fopkj

ugha gks ldkA rhljk bldk dher ds Lrj ij D;k ykHk gS bldkHkh [kqyklk fdlh fjiksVZ esa ugha gqvk gSA vfUre lkekftd {ks=]ifCyd fMLVhC;w'ku flLV~e esa ;g fdruk ykHknk;d fl) gksxkbldk vkdyu fd;k tkuk ckdh gSA MqIyhdsr jk'ku dkMksZa dh ckrdks lkekU;r% cgqr c


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5- ;w-ih-,- ljdkj ds ;w-vkbZ-Mh- vkSj ,u-Mh-,- ljdkj dh

,e-,u-vkbZ-lh dh lekurk dh vogsyuk laHko ugha] ;|fi ;w-ih-,-ljdkj ;w-vkbZ-Mh- dks iw.kZr% fodkl'khyrk* ls tksM+dj is'k dj jghgSA baVsfytsal C;wjks ds iwoZ izeq[k ,-ds-Mksoy us ;w-vkbZ-Mh- dks ;gdgrs gq, udkj fn;k fd ewy :i esa ;w-vkbZ-Mh- dk ms'; fons'khvkSj vizkf/kr yksxksa dks [kRe djus dk FkkA fdUrq vc vk;ke cny

jgk gS A vc bls fodkl ls tksM+dj iz;ksftr fd;k tk jgk gSA6- bl ifj;kstuk dks ysdj lqj{kk dk tks Hk; gS ogh dkj.k

gS fd futrk dh fpark dks Hkh xaHkhjrk ls fy;k tkuk pkfg,A ljdkjvkS j ;w-vkbZ-Mh-vkbZ- us ,slk ekgkSy cuk fn;k gS tSls ;fn blifj;kstuk ls vPNs iz'kklu dks nwj dj fn;k tk, rks ;g futrk vkSjyksd Lora=rk ds f[kykQ gks tk,xkA ;gh leL;k dh tM+ gSAO;fDrxr Lora=rk dh ewy le> ds v/;;u ds fo"k; esa veZR;lsutSls fo}ku Hkh ekurs gSa fd O;fDrxr~ Lora=rk ds vf/kdkj dks cpkikuk blls cgqr eqf'dy gks tk;xkA vr% ,d vktknh ls nwljhvktknh fodkl ds fy, futrk esa ?kql iSB dh ekax mB [kM+h gks

jgh gSA izR;sd izdkj dh vktknh] Lora= :i esa dherh gS vr% fdlhHkh ,d izdkj dh vktknh dk [kks tkuk O;fDr dh {kerk ij izHkkoMkysxh tks vU; izdkj dh vktkfn;ksa dks Hkh izHkkfor dj ldrh gSAvr% blh ifjizs{; esa rc vk'p;Z ugha gksrk tc veZR; lsu ;w-vkbZ-Mh- ifj;kstuk ds fo"k; esa futrk ij fpark O;Dr djrs gSA

7- blh ls tqM+ h fpUrk gS iqfyl vkSj lqj{kkcyA ;fn

ck;ksehfVd MkVkcsl dh igqp dh btktr feyrh gS rks fujUrjfuxjkuh vkSj tkapiM+rky ds fy, bldk mi;ksx c


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Li"V fd;k gSA ,u-Mh-lh- dh 24 tqykbZ 2010 dh dkUsal dks lEcksf/kr djrs gq, mUgksaus dgk fd ^vkus okys o"kksZa esa -------- gesa ------ viusfQldy MsfQflV dks de djus ds fy, ----- vkyf{kr lfClMh dksde djuk gksxk* ;w- vkbZ- ,u- ,l- ds dk;Zjr~ gks tkus ls gesa yf{kr

lfClMht dks izHkkoh :i ls de djus ds volj feysaxsA

9- ;w- vkbZ- Mh- ,- vkbZ- dk nkok gS fd ;w- vkbZ- Mh- lsljdkj dks dbZ lh/ks ykHk izkIr djus esa lQyrk feysxhA okLro esabl izdkj jkT; dh Hkwfedk lh/ks&lh/ks vkSj Li"V gks dj mejsxhA ;w-vkbZ- Mh- ,- vkbZ- ds fy, ;w- vkbZ- Mh- l'kDrhdj.k dk ,d vkStkjcusxkA ;w- vkbZ- Mh- ds }kjk ljdkj dks lkekftd lsokvksa gsrqukxfjdksa dks igpkuuk ljy gks tk,xkA ih-Mh-,l- ifCyd fMLVhC;w'kuflLVe esa ;g lcls izHkko'kkyh fl) gksxkA

10- lh/kk rdZ ;g gS fd ;w- vkbZ- Mh- ifj;kstuk Hkkjr dsih-Mh-,l- dks fc[kjus djus dh ,d cM+h dks f'k'k gSSA bldk ms';ih-Mh- ,l- ds LFkku ij [kk|iwfrZ djus ds fy, fiNys njokts[kksyuk gS tks ckn esa /khjs&/khjs [kk|kiwfrZ djus ds fy, fiNys njokts

[kksyuk gS tks ckn esa /khjs&/khjs [kk|kiwfrZ vkSj caVokjk ljdkj ds lkFkls iwjh rjg fudy tk,xkA

11- ;w- vkbZ- Mh- ,- vkbZ- ds vuqlkj ;w- vkbZ-Mh- dk lclsegRoiw.kZ ykHk ;g gksxk fd vkids ikl ih-Mh-,l- dks ^pfyr* i)frgksxhA ;kfu fd vkids ikl ,slh i)fr gksxhA ftlds }kjk vki ;kfufd ,d LFkku ls nwljs LFkku ij dke ds fy, tkus okys etnwjHkkjr Hkj esa dgha Hkh viuk ih-Mh-,l- dksVk [kjhnus esa l{ke gkstk,xsA ;g nkok] gkykafd] [kks[kyk vkSj /kks[kk nsus okyk gSA bls

le>us ds fy, xgjkbZ esa tkuk gksxkA12- orZeku Qs;j izkbl 'kkWIl(FPS) i)fr dks ysa rks]

izR;sd nqdku ij dqN [kkl la[;k esa ifjokj ntZ gSA bUgsa dsoy bUghsantZ ifjokjksa ds fy, vukt miyC/k djk;k tkrk gSA bu nqdkunkjksadks D;k irk pysxk fd fdrus yksx nwljh txg ls vk, gS] fdrus

le; ds fy, vk, gSa vkSj dc os vius fy, fu/kkZfjr vukt ekaxusvk igqapsxsaA vr% lkeku dh deh dkj.k og mu yksxksa dks vUu nsus

ls badkj dj nsxkA vr% ;w- vkbZ- Mh- ls laca/k ih-Mh-,l- ds {ks= esa,Q-ih-,l- i)fr dkjxj ugha gSA ,ssls esa ,d gh jkLrk cprk gS] ,Q-ih-,l- i)fr dks pykus nsa] xzkljh 'kkWIl ij vUu cspus fn;k tk,]nksuksa dks vkil esa rkyesy cSBkus fn;k tk, vkSj nqdkunkjksa dks

lfClMh dks vkil esa ckaV ysus nh tk,A dqy feykdj [kk| LVkEidk ;g lR; gSA dksbZ ,Q-ih-,l- ugh a] ,d jkf'k ds cjkcj dh vki

dks [kk| eqgj feysxh] fdlh Hkh nqdku ij tkb, vkSj vukt [kjhnyhft,A 3] vxLr 2004 dks ^n fgUnw* esa izdkf'kr e/kqjk LokehukFkudk rkjxsVsM QwM LVkWEil* uked ys[k esa ppkZ gS fd [kk| eqgj dh

leL;k, D;k gksaxhA13- fnypLi ckr rks ;g gS fd ;w- vkbZ- Mh- ped ned

ls f?kjs yksxksa ds bykok lHkh ;g ckr tkurs vkSj le>rs gSaA ;w- vkbZ-Mh-,-vkbZ- vkSipkfjd :i ls Lohdkj djrh gS fd ;w- vkbZ- Mh ds ek/;e ls [kk| fVdV dk dk;kZUo;u vklku jgsxkA ;gh ekuuk ;kstuk

commitments. None other than the Prime Minister has made

this amply clear. Addressing the National Development Council

(NDC) on July 24, 2010, he noted: to reduce our fiscal deficit

in the coming years, we must [be] reducing the scale of

untargeted subsidies. The operationalisation of the Unique

Identification Number Scheme provides an opportunity to

target subsidies effectively.

9. The UIDAI claims that UID would help the

government shift from a number of indirect benefits into direct

benefits. In reality, such a shift would represent the opposite:

a transformation of the role of the state from a direct provider

to an indirect provider. For the UIDAI, the UID is a tool of

empowerment. In reality, the UID would be an alibi for the state

to leave the citizen unmarked in the market for social services.

Nowhere is the illustration more telling than in the case of the

PDS.

10. Let me state the argument upfront. The UID project

is part of a larger effort to dismantle the PDS in India. The aimis to ensure a back-door entry of food stamps in the place of

PDS, and later graduate it to a cash transfer scheme, thereby

completing the states withdrawal from the sphere of food

procurement and distribution.

11. According to the UIDAI, the most important benefit

from the UID could be that you could have a portable PDS.

In other words, you could have a system where you (say, a

migrant worker) could buy your PDS quota from anywhere in

India. The claim, of course, has a deceptive appeal. One would

have to dig deeper to grasp the real intent.

12. If we take the present fair price shop (FPS) system,

each FPS has a specified number of households registered toit. The FPS stores grains only for the registered households.

The FPS owner would not know how many migrants, and for

what periods, would come in and demand their quota. Hence,

for lack of stock, he would turn away migrant workers who

demand grains. Hence, the FPS system is incompatible with

the UID-linked portability of PDS. There is only one way out:

do away with the FPS system, accredit grocery shops to sell

grains, allow them to compete with each other and allow the

shop owners to get the subsidy reimbursed. This is precisely

what food stamps are all about; no FPS, you get food stamps

worth an amount, go to any shop and buy grains (on why food

stamps are deeply problematic, see Madhura Swaminathan,

Targeted Food Stamps, The Hindu, August 3, 2004).

13. What is interesting is that everyone, except those

enamoured by the UID glitter, appears to know this. On its

part, UIDAI officially accepts that food stamps become easier

to implement with the UID. So does the Planning Commission,

which sees the UID as the fulcrum around which its plans to

reform the PDS revolve. It turns out that an opposition to


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vk;ksx dk Hkh gS] mls yxrk gS fd bl izdkj ih-Mh-,l- i)fr esa Hkhlq/kkj vk,xkA os bl ckr ls bUdkj djrs gS fd ih-Mh- ,l dksfc[ksjus] [kk| fVdV dks ykuk ;w- vkbZ- Mh- dk fojks/k gSA

14- uUnu fudsru us Hkkjrh; fodklkRed izkFkfedrkvksadks le>us esa Hkkjh ewy dh gSA muds vuqlkj & ba fnjk dky esa ukjk

Fkk xjhch gVkvksaA ckn esa ukjk vk;k jksVh&diM+k vkSj edkuA fiNysdqN o"kksZa esa ukjk Fkk fctyh] lM+d ikuhA vc ;s lc ukjs iqjkus iM+pqds vc u;k ukjk gS& ;w- vkbZ- Mh- uEcj] cSad [kkrk la[;k] eksckbyQksuA xjhch tSlh xaHkhj leL;k ds Hkwy ls cgqr nw j dh ;gfo'oO;kih nf"V ds dkj.k vkykspdksa dk dguk gS vk/kkj&fujk/kkjA

15- fu"d"kZr% ;w- vkbZ- Mh- ifj;kstuk esas lqj{kk ,oa fodklnksuksa vk;ke fufgr gSA igyk vkked fLFkfr gS rks nwljk gesa 'kj.kfeyus dh vuHkwfr djkrk gSA nksuksa gh izdkj ukxfjdksa dks gh gkfugksus okyh gSA

16- vkj- jkedqekj eqEcbZ fLFkr VkVk baLVhV~;wV vkWQlks'ky lkbalst esa dk;Zjr~ gSaA

the dismantling of PDS, and to food stamps, also involves an

opposition to the UID.

14. On his part, Nandan Nilekani has been showcasing

his extraordinarily poor understanding of Indias developmental

priorities. According to him, in the Indira years, the slogan

was garibi hatao. Then it was roti, kapda, makaan. In the last

few years, it was bijli, sadak, pani. However, these slogans are

pass; the in-thing is the slogan UID number, bank account,

mobile phone. Such an inverted world view, totally divorced

from the grim realities of poverty, has prompted critics to call

AADHAAR as just NIRAADHAAR!

15. In conclusion, the UID project is marked by both

security and developmental dimensions. The former leads

to an invasive state; the latter leaves us with a retreating state.

Either way, the citizen is worse off.

( R. Ramakumar is with the Tata Institute of Social

Sciences, Mumbai.)

Courtesy : - The Hindu

Disclaimer: This article has been translated exclusively for IAS Aspirants convenience and study purposesAuthor doesn't take responsibility of view expressed or accuracy of the content."

what the uid conceals

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