Why Aadhaar is Niraadhaar: Jairam’s objections to the bill -Governance Now

Why Aadhaar is Niraadhaar: Jairam’s objections to the bill

Jairam Ramesh questions Aadhaar’s role in plugging subsidy leakages

GN Bureau | March 16, 2016

#Lok Sabha #parliament #Jairam Ramesh #Arun Jaitley #UIDAI #Aadhaar #Rajya Sabha

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh

After snubbing the finance minister in Rajya Sabha, Jairam Ramesh of Congress questioned the government’s claim of saving Rs 14,000 crore by integrating Aadhaar for the LPG subsidy. Citing a report by International Institute of Sustainable Development, a London-based think tank, which seriously doubts the claim of savings accrued by DBT-LPG, Ramesh asked about the study on the basis of which the government is making such tall claims.

“What is Aadhaar? There is enormous confusion. That Aadhaar will identify people who are entitled for subsidy. No. Aadhaar doesn’t determine who is eligible and who isn’t,” Ramesh said.

It can’t be the basis of deciding whether one person will get subsidy and another won’t, he added.

He took a jibe on the NDA government’s “fascination” for coining new terms, like JAM –acronym for Jan-Dhan, Aadhaar and mobile. “To say that we have done subsidy sudhaar as we have made Aadhaar mandatory in subsidy distribution is wrong. It only tackles one part of the issue – of fake identity,” he said.

Voluntary not mandatory

He further stated that position of the UPA government and the Congress party has always been that Aadhaar is “voluntary and not mandatory”.

However, “It (clause 57) widens the ambit of Aadhaar. It makes it mandatory,” he said, adding that, “every individual who doesn’t desire to have an Aadhaar should have option of voluntarily opting out.”

Therefore, “this clause should be dropped,” he suggested.

National security vs privacy

The use of term ‘national security’ for overriding privacy clauses gives sweeping powers to the government.

Under the Telegraph Act, 1885, there is no term as national security. It carefully uses terms like ‘public emergency’ and ‘public safety’. “National security is a very broad term and amorphous,” he said. “Instead of using this term, the legislation should use ‘public emergency’ and ‘public safety’.”

Independent member in oversight committee

Ramesh recommended that an independent member should be in the oversight committee that would be headed by the cabinet secretariat.

No delegated legislation

The Aadhaar bill also confers huge powers to the UIDAI in terms of collection of information. If the authority wants to collect data or additional biometrics – DNA for example – they should come to parliament for its approval. “No legislative power should be delegated. The suo motu power to collect information doesn’t inspire public confidence,” he said.

Denial of service

“A study points out that 40 percent of Jan-Dhan account holders could not access their accounts for want of Aadhaar. There could be problems related to connectivity, problem with biometrics of old people or labourers.”

Comments

Other News

70 words that define India, why Doklam stand-off won’t lead to a war, and more

As India celebrates 70 years of freedom, Governance Now looks back and picks 70 words – or phrases, buzzwords, slogans, events – that best define this ancient nation and young democracy. Here, you will find much to be proud of, much tinged with pangs of nostalgia. Then there are entries that

A dose of PPP in healthcare is what the doctor recommends

Dr Kenneth E Thorpe, a professor of health policy and management at Emory University in the US and also the executive director of Partnership to Fight Chronic Diseases (PFCD), says that the government alone cannot do everything. “They don’t have the resources and capacity. So we have to fin

EESL signs MoU with oil companies for energy saving appliances

Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture company of PSUs of ministry of power, signed an agreement with oil marketing companies (OMCs) of ministry of petroleum and natural gas for distribution of energy efficient appliances under the flagship Unnat Jeevan by Affordable LEDs and applianc

Jammu airport’s upgraded terminal building inaugurated

Union minister for civil aviation, P Ashok Gajapathi Raju inaugurated the upgraded passenger terminal building of Jammu airport. Notably, Jammu airport belongs to the Indian Air Force, and airports authority of India (AAI) maintains a civil enclave for civil aircraft operat

Election Commission shows it has spine

The election commission has become increasingly assertive in the past few months, showing its mettle in times of electoral challenges. Weeks after rooting from EVMs and just days after the poll panel declared votes cast by two rebel Congress legislators in the Rajya Sabha e

Is Amit Shah`s blueprint for 350-plus seats in 2019 Lok Sabha elections achievable?

Video

Current Issue

Opinion

Twitter

Tweets by @governancenow