Unique Identification Number: A New Way Of Identification

Unique Identification Number (UID) is a recently finalized initiative by the Government of India to create and manage a centralized identification system for all the adult citizens and residents of India, which can be utilized for a variety of identification purposes. Nandan Nilekani former co-chairman of Infosys has been appointed as the head of Unique Identification Authority of India and will have a ministerial rank. In the proposed paper we will talk about the UID and its implications with reference to India.

1. Introduction: Unique identification project was initially conceived by the Planning Commission as an initiative that would provide identification for each resident across the country and would be used primarily as the basis for efficient delivery of welfare services. It would also act as a tool for effective monitoring of various programs and schemes of the Government.

The concept of a unique identification was first discussed and worked upon since 2006 when administrative approval for the project –"Unique ID for Below Poverty Line (BPL) families" was given on 03 March 2006 by the Department of Information Technology, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. This project was to be implemented by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) over a period of 12 months. Subsequently, a Processes Committee to suggest processes for updation, modification, addition and deletion of data fields from the core database to be created under the Unique ID for below BPL project was set up on 03 July 2006. This was set up under the chairmanship of Dr. Arvind Virmani, Principal Adviser, and Planning Commission.

A "Strategic Vision on the UIDAI Project" was prepared and submitted to this Committee by M/S Wipro Ltd (Consultant for the design phase and program management phase of the Pilot UIDAI project). It envisaged the close linkage that the UIDAI would have to the electoral database. The Committee also appreciated the need of a UIDAI Authority to be created by an executive order under the aegis of the Planning Commission to ensure a pan-departmental and neutral identity for the authority and at the same time enable a focused approach to attaining the goals set for the XI Plan. The Seventh Meeting of the Process Committee on 30 August 2007 decided to furnish to the Planning commission a detailed proposal based on the resource model for seeking its "in principle" approval. At the same time, the Registrar General of India was engaged in the creation of the National Population Register and issuance of Multi-purpose National Identity Cards to citizens of India.

 

Therefore, it was decided, with the approval of the Prime Minister, to constitute an empowered group of Ministers (EGoM) to collate the two schemes – the National Population Register under the Citizenship Act, 1955 and the Unique Identification Number project of the Department of Information Technology The EGoM was also empowered to look into the methodology and specific milestones for early and effective completion of the Project and take a final view on these. The EGoM was constituted on 04 December 2006.

 

2.1 Prime Minister's Council: Prime Minister's Council on UIDAI Authority - Subsequently, on 02 July 2009, the Government appointed Shri. Nandan M. Nilekani as Chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India, in the rank and status of a Cabinet Minister for an initial tenure of five years. Mr. Nilekani has joined the UIDAI as its Chairman on 23 July 2009. The Prime Minister's Council of UIDAI Authority of India was set up on 30 July 2009. The Council is to advise the UIDAI on Programme, methodology and implementation to ensure co-ordination between Ministries/Departments, stakeholders and partners. The Council would meet once every quarter. The First Meeting of the Prime Minister's Council of UIDAI Authority took place on 12 August 2009.

The salient decisions in the PMs Council were as follows:

    * Need for legislative framework
    * Broad Endorsement of the Strategy
    * Budgetary Support to partners
    * Setting Biometric and Demographic Standards
    * UIDAI Structure Contours Approved
    * Flexibility in Personnel and other issues Choose, Deploy and Repatriate
    * Officers
    * Government Accommodation Eligibility
    * Broad-banding of posts
    * Hiring of professionals from Market
    * Setting up of Global Advisory Councils of PIOs
    * Interns and Sabbatical Global Procurement

 

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has been created as an attached office under the Planning Commission. Its role is to develop and implement the necessary institutional, technical and legal infrastructure to issue unique identity numbers to Indian residents.

 

2.2 The Mission: The role that the Authority envisions is to issue a unique identification number (UIDAI) that can be verified and authenticated in an online, cost-effective manner, which is robust enough to eliminate duplicate and fake identities.

 

2.3 The Timelines:  The first UIDAI numbers will be issued over the next 12-18 months counted from August 2009. The first number would be issued betweenAugust 2010 to February 2011. Over five years, the Authority plans to issue 600 million UIDs. The numbers will be issued through various 'registrar' agencies across the country.

 

2.4 “AADHAR” The brand name of the Unique Identification number (UID) will be Aadhar. The name and logo for the unique numbers to be issued by the UIDAI have been developed keeping in mind the transformational potential of the program. Together, they communicate the essence and spirit of the UIDAI's mandate to people across the country.

The UIDAI's mandate is to issue every resident a unique identification number linked to the resident's demographic and biometric information, which they can use to identify them anywhere in India, and to access a host of benefits and services. The number (referred to until now as the 'UID') has been named Aadhar, which translates into 'foundation', or 'support'. This word is present across most Indian languages and can therefore be used in branding and communication of the UIDAI program across the country.

    * Aadhaar can for example, provide the identity infrastructure for ensuring financial inclusion across the country – banks can link the unique number to a bank account for every resident, and use the online identity authentication to allow residents to access the account from anywhere in the country
    * Aadhaar would also be a foundation for the effective enforcement of individual rights. A clear registration and recognition of the individual's identity with the state is necessary to implement their rights –to employment, education, food, etc. The number, by ensuring such registration and recognition of individuals, would help the state deliver these rights
    * Aadhaar would also be a foundation for the effective enforcement of individual rights. A clear registration and recognition of the individual's identity with the state is necessary to implement their rights –to employment, education, food, etc. The number, by ensuring such registration and recognition of individuals, would help the state deliver these rights.

 

2.5 The Logo: The design, which has been selected as the logo for Aadhaar, is a sun in red and yellow, with a fingerprint traced across its centre. The logo effectively communicates the vision for Aadhaar. It represents a new dawn of equal opportunity for each individual, a dawn which emerges from the unique identity the number guarantees for each individual.

 

2.5 Aadhaar-Enabled Micro Pyments: UIDAI Know Your Residence (KYR) sufficient for Know Your Customer (KYC): Banks in India are required to follow customer identification procedures while opening new accounts, to reduce the risk of fraud and money laundering. The strong authentication that the UIDAI will offer, combined with its KYR standards, can remove the need for such individual KYC by banks for basic, no-frills accounts. It will thus vastly reduce the documentation the poor are required to produce for a bank account, and significantly bring down KYC costs for banks.

2.5 Ubiquitous BC Network and BC Choice: The UIDAI's clear authentication and verification processes will allow banks to network with village-based BC's such as self-help groups and kirana stores. Customers will be able to withdraw money and make deposits at the local BC. Multiple BC's at the local level will also give customers a choice of BC's. This will make customers, particularly in villages, less vulnerable to local power structures, and lower the risk of being exploited by BC's.

A high-volume, low-cost revenue approach: The UIDAI will mitigate the high customer acquisition costs, high transaction costs and fixed IT costs that we now face in bringing bank accounts to the poor.

2.6 Electronic Transactions: The UIDAI's authentication processes will allow banks to verify poor residents both in person and remotely. Rural residents will be able to transact electronically with each other as well as with individuals and firms outside the village. This will reduce their dependence on cash, and lower costs for transactions. Once a general purpose Aadhaar-enabled micropayments system is in place, a variety of other financial instruments such as micro-credit, micro-insurance, micro-pensions, and micro-mutual funds can be implemented on top of this payments system.

The Aadhaar-enabled micropayments solution is just one of the many developmental applications of the Aadhaar.

2.7 Strategies to Create Awareness about AADHAR: Information, Education and Communication (IEC) is an important process in the enrolment strategy. The basic objective of IEC is to educate all the partners and residents so as to make them aware of the various usages and benefits which can be derived from Aadhaar. The Registrar, along with the UIDAI will strive to disseminate information regarding the applications of Aadhaar so that benefits of governmental and other schemes reach the intended beneficiaries.
To ensure comprehensive coverage across all the residents, the message of Aadhaar shall be spread through the following communication channels:

    * Broadcast & Telecast: TV, radio, print, Internet
    * Information: News and publications
    * Outdoors: Posters, handouts, wall paintings, banners, hoarding
    * Entertainment: Cinema, sports, endorsements
    * Inter-personal: Audio, video, telecom
    * Support infrastructure: Registrar and Enrolment Agency infrastructure

 

3 Various Committees and their functions:

3.1 Biometric Committee: The UIDAI is based on the premise that the de-duplication would be the basis of the Aadhaar approach. This would be achieved by the use of biometrics and requires high technological intervention and success. To achieve this and to obtain the best possible inputs on biometric technology, a Biometrics Committee has been set up under the Chairmanship of Dr. B.K. Gairola, Director General of NIC.

The Biometric Committee submitted its final report to the UIDAI on 7 January, 2010. The UIDAI has accepted the standards and best practices suggested by the committee for face, finger prints and iris. The UIDAI, after taking all relevant factors into consideration, has also decided that all three biometric attributes of residents viz. face, all ten fingerprints and both iris images will be collected during the enrolment process into the UIDAI system.

3.2 Demographic and Data Field Verification Committee: The UIDAI also believes that the verification process to get an Aadhaar should be simple and not prone to harassment and at the same time, be credible. As the main purpose of the Aadhaar is inclusion, especially of the poor, the verification process has to be formulated in such a manner that while it does not compromise the integrity of the inputs, it also does not result in exclusion of the poor. A Demographic and Data Field Verification Committee has been set up under the Chairmanship of Shri N. Vittal, the former Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) of India to address these issues. The Demographic Data Standards and Verification Procedure Committee submitted its final report on 9 December 2009. It was then submitted to Shri Nandan Nilekani, Chairman, UIDAI.

 

What is Aadhaar?

 

4. Implications:

Aadhaar-based identification will have two unique features:

Universality, which is ensured because Aadhaar will over time be recognised and accepted across the country and across all service providers.

Every resident's entitlement to the number.

The number will consequently form the basic, universal identity infrastructure over which Registrars and Agencies across the country can build their identity-based applications.

Unique Identification of India (UIDAI) will build partnerships with various Registrars across the country to enrol residents for the number. Such Registrars may include state governments, state Public Sector Units (PSUs), banks, telecom companies, etc. These Registrars may in turn partner with enrolling agencies to enrol residents into Aadhaar.

Aadhaar will ensure increased trust between public and private agencies and residents. Once residents enrol for Aadhaar, service providers will no longer face the problem of performing repeated Know Your Customer (KYC) checks before providing services. They would no longer have to deny services to residents without identification documents. Residents would also be spared the trouble of repeatedly proving identity through documents each time they wish to access services such as obtaining a bank account, passport, or driving license etc.

By providing a clear proof of identity, Aadhaar will empower poor and underprivileged residents in accessing services such as the formal banking system and give them the opportunity to easily avail various other services provided by the Government and the private sector. The centralised technology infrastructure of the UIDAI will enable 'anytime, anywhere, anyhow' authentication. Aadhaar will thus give migrants mobility of identity. Aadhaar authentication can be done both offline and online, online authentication through a cell phone or land line connection will allow residents to verify their identity remotely. Remotely, online Aadhaar-linked identity verification will give poor and rural residents the same flexibility that urban non-poor residents presently have in verifying their identity and accessing services such as banking and retail. Aadhaar will also demand proper verification prior to enrolment, while ensuring inclusion. Existing identity databases in India are fraught with problems of fraud and duplicate or ghost beneficiaries. To prevent these problems from seeping into the Aadhaar database, the UIDAI plans to enrol residents into its database with proper verification of their demographic and biometric information. This will ensure that the data collected is clean from the beginning of the program. However, much of the poor and under-privileged population lack identity documents and Aadhaar may be the first form of identification they will have access to. The UIDAI will ensure that its Know Your Resident (KYR) standards do not become a barrier for enrolling the poor and has accordingly developed an Introducer system for residents who lack documentation. Through this system, authorised individuals ('Introducers') who already have an Aadhaar, can introduce residents who don't have any identification documents, enabling them to receive their Aadhaar.

 

Conclusion: Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique number which the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) will issue for all residents. The number will be stored in a centralised database and linked to the basic demographics and biometric information – photograph, ten fingerprints and iris – of each individual..

Aadhaar will be Easily verifiable in an online, cost-effective way. It is Unique and robust enough to eliminate the large number of duplicate and fake identities in government and private databases. A random number generated, devoid of any classification based on caste, creed, religion and geography.

The process to get an Aadhaar will be circulated by the local media upon which residents need to go to the nearest Enrolment Camp to register for an Aadhaar. The resident primarily needs to carry certain documents which will be specified in the media advertisement.

Upon registering for Aadhaar, residents will go through a biometric scanning of ten fingerprints and iris. They will then be photographed and given an enrolment number upon completion. Depending on the enrolment agency, residents will be issued an Aadhaar number within 20 to 30 days.

AADHAR is an unique attempt of Govt of India which will not only help the indivisuals but also to the govt, organizations. This will help in reducing the per unit cost of any kind of transaction in India and will help the poor people in their identification.

 


References:

   1. "Rs.100 crore for Unique Identification Project", The Hindu (Chennai, India), 17 February 2009, http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/17/stories/2009021756751000.htm, retrieved 2009-06-26

   2. "Nilekani to give numbers, ministries to issue cards", The Economic Times, 16 July 2009, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Nilekani-to-give-numbers-ministries-to-issue-cards/articleshow/4782505.cms, retrieved 2009-07-18
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   6. www.uidai.gov.in.
   7. "Aadhar takes off: PM, Sonia launch UID in tribal village". Indianexpress.com. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/aadhar-takes-off-pm-sonia-launch-uid-in-tribal-village/689953/. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
   8. Bajaj, Vikas (25 June 2009), "India Undertakes Ambitious ID Card Plan", The New York Times,
   9. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/26/world/asia/26india.html?ref=global-home, retrieved 2009-06-26, "... Policy makers see a national ID card as critical to improving the delivery of social services, subsidies and other government programs while also strengthening national security ... the majority of aid earmarked for the poor does not reach them, and it is hard for the government to detect embezzlement and misuse of funds ..."
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