By Express News Service
Published: 14th March 2016 04:12 AM
The scheme is simple. Get an Aadhaar card, link it with your bank account number and all subsidies, pensions or scholarships provided by the Centre or the state will be credited directly to your account.
Aadhaar-based Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme has had an ambitious objective of plugging leakage in subsidies by removing middlemen. Now, the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016, aims to provide a legal framework for the scheme.
Despite opposition by critics of the scheme, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and other organisations believe that it has been beneficial and is essential in the long run.
The petitioners against Aadhaar, on the other hand, believe that the Bill — even if it is enacted as law — will be scrapped as soon as the Supreme Court issues a final order.
‘It is Safe and Secure’
According to Anjali Ellis Shankar, Additional Director General, UIDAI, said depending on how various departments have used Aadhaar, it has been an efficient tool in ensuring benefits to the beneficiaries.
“With Aadhaar-based DBT, nobody can impersonate another. Earlier, people used to draw pensions even after the beneficiaries were dead. The scheme prevents such misuse,” she said.
Moreover, it has been a tool for identity. Even ragpickers have been keen on enrolling for Aadhaar as it cannot be duplicated.
To a question on concerns over data security, she said information security was at a “very high level”.
J R Bangera, former president of Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), recalled the initiatives by the trade body in promoting Aadhaar enrolment. “In future, everything will be linked to Aadhaar. We have encouraged even our district chambers to hold programmes to popularise the scheme,” he said.
SC Ruling
With the final judgment on a petition against Aadhaar awaited, the petitioners believe that the ruling will be the final nail on Aadhaar’s coffin.
According to one of the petitioners, Aadhaar violates Article 31 and other rights of citizens enshrined in the Constitution. “With its judgement, SC can invalidate the Bill or ensure necessary changes — in case the Bill is enacted,” the petitioner said.