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The document discusses the Unique Identification (UID) program in India, which aims to provide each citizen with a unique ID number. It outlines some key points of the UID program, including helping to address issues of illegal immigration, terrorism, and facilitating social welfare programs. However, the document also discusses several criticisms of the UID program, such as privacy concerns over a massive centralized database of citizens' personal information, technological challenges in managing a database of 1.2 billion people, and the risk of the data being hacked or misused. Overall, while the government argues UID will empower citizens, many critics argue it could enable greater government surveillance and privacy issues instead.

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Rakesh Sharma
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35 views

Data

The document discusses the Unique Identification (UID) program in India, which aims to provide each citizen with a unique ID number. It outlines some key points of the UID program, including helping to address issues of illegal immigration, terrorism, and facilitating social welfare programs. However, the document also discusses several criticisms of the UID program, such as privacy concerns over a massive centralized database of citizens' personal information, technological challenges in managing a database of 1.2 billion people, and the risk of the data being hacked or misused. Overall, while the government argues UID will empower citizens, many critics argue it could enable greater government surveillance and privacy issues instead.

Uploaded by

Rakesh Sharma
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Some of the highlighted points of uid are: People eligible for subsidies and other benefits would have

a proof Would address illegal immigration Would help in countering the terrorist threats Would become a solid proof of someones existence
Increasing national security, Managing citizen identity, and Facilitating e-Governance.

de-duplication of identity and prevention of identity theft, transparency in the governance process; efficient, fast and effective method of working of the governance process. Other benefits of UID include cost-reduction in terms of eliminating repetitive process of verifying the identity of a person. UID provides an effect method of identifying a huge number of people who are migrates from one part of the country to another, and are basically without a proper identification in that new place. UID is an effective tool in deter and control the illegal migrants from other countries. 3 Though, UID in India is an inclusive one and provides identity not only to its citizen but non-citizens as well. India is facing a though problem of illegal immigrants, mostly from Bangladesh, who are residing in India often permanently.4 Tracking of foreign nationals is essential in interest of national security. The UID could be used by employers to verify the identity of a prospective employee through his/her UID.5 The UID register would, by verifying entitlements to public services, make it more difficult for those here illegally to gain access to them, and thus would reduce the pull factor the perception that once in the country people can work and obtain benefits and public services with impunity.6 Further, the bonafide non-citizens will find it easier to establish their own identity quite easily and keep a check on the companies using illegal migrants as workers.

Overall, UID can be seen as not a solution to a single problem, rather it is a solution to multiple issues in India, including controlling illegal migration, controlling fraud, national security and providing social welfare schemes easily and effectively to the people of India.

When UID was introduced to the general public, it was regarded as the sole primary document which would determine their fate. Everyone (1.2 billion people) would be issued a unique identification card and would be expected to carry it wherever they would go. Even the refugees and migrants would be issued the card. It was mandatory in the beginning so failing to produce it may have you branded as a terrorist. The Government defended this mammoth-size project by arguing that it will help check illegal immigration and terrorist activities. UID will also have other benefits. UID has been linked to social-welfare programs. There is now a proposal to use UID for realizing

the goal of online voting. So UID will empower India and Indians, they argue. This was the Government version of UID. Lets now see the reality. UID is proposed to create a central repository of information of each of the 1.2 billion people. The data involves personal information as well as the bank details. Its a risky affair. If not the ever-hungry Government, the Corporates or anyone can misuse the information. The Governments response to this was technology. The data will be stored in an online database. But lets consider the technological challenges. 1.2 Billion people will mean 6 petabytes (6,000 terabytes or 6,000,000 gigabytes). It will be the worlds largest database. But can we imagine managing this volume? The technological challenges involve system performance, reliability, speed and resolution of accuracy and errors. But a more serious issue is regarding the security. The information can be hacked. UID will also capture biometric information from the population. The fingerprints and IRIS will be scanned. Apart from the lack of technological infrastructure, a more important concern is the reliability of this information. Patterns of Iris change with age and disease. Also, what about the millions of people with corneal blindness? Fingerprints also face a similar issue. Fingerprints can be tapped and copied. There are also millions who may be without hands. Also, the labourers have their fingerprints marred. One of the benefits listed out by Government is that it will be linked with the social welfare programs like PDS. Critics argue that the Government does not have resources to extend them to UID applicants. Jean Dreze, a development economist and the man behind NREGA, argued, I am opposed to the UID project on grounds of several civil liberties. Let us not be nave. This is a national security project, not a social policy initiative. There is also fear that instead of checking illegal migration, it can actually legalize it. The Indo-Bangladesh Border is porous. UID may actually increase illegal immigration. Bangladeshis will be able to get themselves listed as Indians easily and enjoy the privileges and benefits(if any). Some months back, there was a demonstration by the students of Indian Institute of Science against UID. One of the placards read Happy New Fear. UID demands our bank details. So though UID is an attached department to Planning Commission but in reality, UID can enable the Government an access to our bank account. They will be able to view all our transactions. So UID carries major privacy issues. But the best thing about the UID is the inherent contradiction in its voluntary nature. Even though, it is voluntary. It is ubiquitous. UID holders are entitled for exclusive schemes and opportunities. The idea of UID has been rejected by many countries. From privacy concerns to technological challenges, the concept has met severe opposition. So the effectiveness and nature of UID (whether compulsory or voluntary) varies among different countries. But in spite of this, India has decided to waste crores on this largely rejected policy.

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