It’s Best To Ignore Hysteria Being Created By Media About Aadhar Card
November 11, 2017
Aadhar will reduce the ghost expenditure of benefits and subsidies and inturn bring in efficiency in the public expenditure
It’s Best To Ignore The Hysteria being Created By The Media About your Aadhar Card
Recently, there has been a lot of buzz amongst people around about the warning messages and reminders that they are getting from their banks and telecom service providers to link up their Aadhar cards with their bank accounts and phone numbers or else there will be discontinuation of services. This has led to a lot of confusion in the minds of people about the deadlines for such operations and whether it is mandatory to do so within the deadline.
Let me first talk about the apparent goof-up that occurred in Uttarakhand where the Aadhar cards of 1200 families showed the same date of birth. First, the number in question is not accurate. This error was seen in the Aadhar cards of about 800 residents of the village and NOT 1200 families. Additionally, whenever the application forms for Aadhar cards are filled up, the operator shows the screen of the data (how the name is being spelled, what date of birth is being filled in) to the person being covered. As such if such an error has taken place, it is a clerical error. Either the person capturing the data made the mistake, or the people who were being covered might not have verified their date of birth, in any case the online framework and database of Aadhar has no fault in it. Probably these persons didn’t know their accurate date of birth hence standard protocols were followed for dataentry.
And besides, regardless of how the error occurred, it can be easily rectified. All one needs to do is visit UIDAI’s website, enter their Aadhar card and mobile number, request for an OTP on their registered mobile number, login using that OTP, and then update any incorrect information on their Aadhar card. The Aadhar Card holder can also visit the nearest local center and physically obtain and submit the amendment form with the changes. Once this process is completed ideally within the stipulated time, the person will get the revised Aadhar card. Also, I’ve said this before, but it’s a point that NEEDS to be restated again – there is NO problem in the system, process or database of Aadhar. Any problems that are being reported vis-à-vis one’s Aadhar Card information, be it incorrect date of birth, duplicate Aadhar number or incorrect address details, are the result of clerical errors being made by the operator recording the data.
Now coming to the hysteria being generated due to the reminders people are getting from banks and telecom companies to link up their Aadhar cards with their bank accounts and mobile phones. The Government’s stance on this is pretty clear – the matter is currently sub judice and pending before a five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court. Whatever judgement the court comes out with, the Government is going to accept it. In that regard, the Government’s stance could not be any clearer and since the Supreme Court happens to be the final authority on matters of dispute, the decision of the court should be respected by one and all, especially if the court rules that the Government can make it mandatory to link bank accounts and mobile numbers with Aadhar cards. Till then it is business as usual for the Government.
And I haven’t even talked about the many benefits that accompany the linking of Aadhar cards with bank accounts and mobile numbers. In case of the former, it’s going to help prevent the creation of black money and will become a major obstacle for those indulging in money laundering. In case of the latter, it’s going to ensure that no one misuses your mobile number as their own. Additionally, once you link your Aadhar to your mobile number, you will no longer be required to submit photocopies of your Aadhaar card as you’d just need to verify an OTP which will come to your linked mobile number. This will also make it easier for you to open bank accounts online without visiting the bank branch as an OTP sent to your mobile number could actually be used as your digital signature.
Aadhar will reduce the ghost expenditure of benefits and subsidies and inturn bring in efficiency in the public expenditure. Direct transfer of subsidies and benefits to Jan Dhan Bank accounts will not only reduce ghost accounts but will ensure that subsidies reach the right persons and reduce the agencies of discretion.
Whenever structural reforms are introduced, technology plays a wider role in it, especially in case of financial structural reforms. There may be challenges and teething issues, which should be faced and addressed.
“Antyodaya” as dreamt by “Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya” and “Purna Swaraj” as dreamt by Mahatma Gandhi seems to be in reach with Jan Dhan, Aadhar Linking, Cashless mobile transactions.The effort of Modi Government have to applauded for bringing in transparency and efficiency in the system.
In the end, it’s important that people don’t get carried away by the unnecessary hysteria being created by the opposition and certain sections of the media. Looking at the Government’s stance objectively will not only help you see the benefits of linking your Aadhar card to your bank account and mobile number, but will also make it impossible for the opposition to score faux political points out of a manufactured debate.
न कश्चिदपि जानाति
किं कस्य श्वो भविष्यति ।
अतः श्वः करणीयानि
कुर्यादद्धैव वुद्धिमान् ॥
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