Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | None without Aadhaar would be denied benefits -Samanwaya Rautray

None without Aadhaar would be denied benefits -Samanwaya Rautray

Share this article Share this article
published Published on Oct 22, 2013   modified Modified on Oct 22, 2013
-The Economic Times


NEW DELHI: The government, in a bind over a recent Supreme Court order asking it to desist from linking social welfare schemes with its ambitious unique identity card Aadhaar, on Monday held out an assurance to the top court that no one would be deprived of any social welfare benefits for not holding Aadhaar.

The government said while it had initiated the scheme to provide benefit transfers using Aadhaar into bank accounts of beneficiaries of select central schemes in specified districts, it had also issued strict instructions that no person should be denied service for want of having Aadhaar or a bank account.

"Instructions have been given for provision of service without Aadhaar to beneficiaries until they are able to obtain their number, and grievance redress mechanisms have been put in place to take care of exceptions and aberrations," the latest government affidavit said.

The government also defended its decision to link the two to keep out the ineligible beneficiaries and plug leakages and urged the court to lift the stay.

The scheme was envisaged as a means to enhance the delivery of welfare benefits and services, it said. "... for providing social security benefits and subsidies, which are discretionary in nature, there cannot be any lawful objection for the government to insist on the use of Aadhaar to ensure benefits reach only entitled persons as also to plug wasteful and fraudulent leakages".

Aadhaar has been designed specifically to assist in meeting these ends, it argued. The government recognises it as a strategic policy tool for social inclusion, public sector delivery reform and for managing fiscal deficit.

Issue of a random 12-digit number to residents of India on a voluntary basis cannot be said to be an intrusion into a person's right to privacy, the government said, urging the court to dismiss PILs challenging its legal validity with exemplary costs.

"The use of biometrics/thumb impression is a time-honoured practice and Aadhaar is merely making a manual process electronic through computerisation in a fully secure and foolproof manner," the government said.

The government claimed that this would help establish the identity of the poor, who move from place to place, and as a consequence cannot access any state benefits and services. "The Aadhaar number may be the first form of identification they will have access to."

Citing a UNESCO report, the government said that the 400 million-strong internal migrant population, 70% of whom are women, are unable to claim social protection entitlements as they have no identity proof.

"Aadhaar being an online identity has the potential to enable these migrants to obtain access to welfare services hitherto denied to them."

Linking social welfare benefits to Aadhaar would also eliminate ghost beneficiaries under various schemes and help fiscal deficit through targeted subsidies and direct benefit programmes.


The Economic Times, 22 October, 2013, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/none-without-aadhaar-would-be-denied-benefits/articleshow/24505141.cms


Related Articles

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Video Archives

Archives

share on Facebook
Twitter
RSS
Feedback
Read Later

Contact Form

Please enter security code
      Close