Much has been said and written about the disadvantages of the systematic introduction of the Aadhar card. The lack of a proper management at the time of its introduction, the lack of essential security features in the entire system and more importantly, the incessant demands of the government to link it to everything in your life! And of course, how the memes added fuel to the fire. Millennials way of dealing with everything these days.
But. And don’t hate me for saying this: Contrary to popular opinion, the Aadhar does have a lot of benefits associated with it as well. The most direct one, it provides a unique identification to each and every citizen of the country. A western concept which is implemented in the form of a social security number in the United States. Like this number, Aadhar too serves as a means of enhancing citizen specific programs of the government as well as tracking national security in a better manner.
What exactly is the purpose of this card? Unlike the older cards issued in India to citizens, the Aadhar card is a universal medium for identification. For instance, the voter cards issued by GOI were exclusively for electoral purposes. The PAN exclusively for banking. The ration card for exclusive ration subsidies. So on and so forth. However, Aadhar caused a disruption in this trend by not being purpose-specific yet gathering every essential detail of its holder; including retina scans. This unique identity makes it useful for any and every purpose in India. It is more than just a card that caused you a lot of trouble to be issued.
What would be the advantages to a citizen of this universal card? Well. There are quite a few. The most direct ones being, of course financial.
Jan Dhan Yojna
The Jan Dhan Yojana is an important government program which aims to assist rural populace as well as downtrodden farmers. While the scheme has been running for quite some time now, its effects are hard to understand and analyze. But this trend can be changed by allocating a unique ID to each recipient of the scheme. Both for the easier disbursement of benefits as well as understanding whether the program is actually benefitting the required population, how and in what capacity.
This unique identification comes in the form of Aadhar. Consequently, it has become easier to weed out the false accounts and has decreased economic fraud.
Digital Life Certificate
The Digital Life Certificate is an online service provided to pensioners that allows them to reap the benefits of their pension without having to physically struggle for it. The online platform allows the user to link their Aadhar card to their certificate and as such, allows the pension agency to access their essential details remotely. Thus, no walking and waiting in lines for the elderly. Instant pension!
Moreover, the entire-digital platform will also provide timely distribution of the pension money. An age-old grievance for the elderly, that is *potentially* undone.
Government Subsidies
By registering your unique Aadhar number, you can receive all government subsidiaries in your account. Without the hassle of registering for each subsidy separately. This includes the most important, LPG subsidy.
One of the most essential (Ghar-chalane-wala-service) for the underprivileged Indian, the direct seeding of Aadhar for receiving LPG subsidies provides a trouble-free method for receiving the same. This holds true for every other subsidy that government will provide.
Passport Assistance
Aah! The old days of applying for passports and waiting for ages to receive them. Finally, they are behind us.
While the government had already taken steps to ensure the easy issue of passports by privatizing part of the old process, it has become quicker and simple by the introduction of Aadhar. Now, you can get your passport in just 10 days! And that isn’t even tatkal. It might sound like a dream to most of us who have experienced the earlier arduous processes.
The only thing you have to do, attach a copy of your Aadhar when you submit the online application for the passport. It serves as a proof of birth, proof of address etc. basically a proof that you are not a clone! But a legitimate citizen. Consequently, your appointment gets fixed and voila! Your passport is dispatched to you!
IT Returns
It is now easier to verify your income tax returns in a much more convenient and efficient manner. By simply using Aadhar linking on the e-filing website of the IT department.
This technique using OTP verification by sending a unique verification code to your Aadhar synced mobile number. You can upload your return documents as well as verify previously uploaded ones.
Bank Accounts And Provident Funds
Gone are the days when you needed to fill out those lengthy forms for setting up a bank account. Or furnish a proof of everything, from your birth to your occupation to your address. All you need now is the Aadhar. Since it has already verified you as a citizen with a unique identification number, the banks only ask for this pin now. Couldn’t get easier! Moreover, seeding your Aadhar to your provident fund agencies allows them to transfer your money directly to your account without any further hassles.
The Bigger Picture
With all said and done, Aadhar verification is still a controversial topic for the masses. If we look at the bigger picture, it will definitely eliminate a lot of fraudulent activities in the country. However, the execution of the entire project has been quite an inconvenience for the citizens. But the most important concern still remains, the safety of this immense amount of data. If fallen into the wrong hands, can implicate innocents for crimes that they may never have committed. It can affect the growth, politics, and existence of our nation if misused.
However, such a situation has been avoided as for now. And we hope that all measures of security for this data, our data, will be surely taken. Till then, let me pull up some statistics that will highlight the much unknown benefits that Aadhar has brought in. These might assuage the pain you had to go through in getting your Aadhar and then linking it to every ducking thing!
1. The unique identification system has brought to light 1,30,000 ghost teachers in our government education system.
2. It led to the account freezing of 2, 00,000 fake shell companies.
3. Aadhar led to the scrapping of about 1.6 crore fraudulent ration cards. Saving the government a whopping 10 crore rupees in subsidies.
4. More than 4 lakh fake students were identified in the government education system, owing to unique Aadhar identification.
5. About 500 missing kids were identified using the Aadhar identity process.
6. Fake LPG subsidies amounting to 21,000 crores were averted.
7. 15,000 fake PAN cards, as well as 87,00,000 bogus job cards in the MNREGA scheme, were scrapped out.
The estimated amount of money saved by our government owing to the weeding out of fake identity cards stands at 62,000 Crore rupees. That is humongous! Just that number makes me feel so good. Maybe, just maybe, the trouble was worth it!