[Answered] Can Aadhaar be the one-stop solution for all identification requirements? Provide reasons for your arguments.

Aadhaar number is a 12-digit random number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to the residents of India after satisfying the verification process laid down by the Authority.  Any individual, irrespective of age and gender, who is a resident of India, may voluntarily enroll to obtain an Aadhaar number. The data is collected by the UIDAI.

A one-stop solution for all identification requirements:

• Ease in identifying beneficiaries: Aadhaar authentication enables the implementing agencies to verify the beneficiaries at the time of services delivery and also ensures the targeted delivery of benefits to them.
• Portable proof of identity: Since Aadhaar is universal identity accepted across the whole country, the Aadhaar system enables mobility to millions of people who migrate from one part of the country to another by providing a portable proof of identity that can be verified through Aadhaar authentication on-line anytime, anywhere.
• Curbs leakages through targeted delivery: All social welfare programmes where beneficiaries are required to be confirmed before the service delivery, stand to benefit from UIDAI’s authentication services. This will result in curbing leakages and ensuring that services are delivered to the intended beneficiaries only.
• Improving Efficiency: With the Aadhaar platform providing accurate and transparent information about the service delivery mechanism, government can improve disbursement systems and utilize its scarce development funds more effectively and efficiently.

Concerns:

• The dangers of providing the full Aadhaar number to several agencies are evident as these numbers have been used by fraudsters for criminal purposes such as identity theft, Know Your Customer (KYC)-related fraud etc.
• Other scams are related to biometrics thefts that have allowed scamsters to steal welfare benefits at the expense of genuine beneficiaries.
• According to some reports, failures in authentication have led to delays in the disbursal of benefits.
• The success rates of authentication and the generation of “false negatives” have always been issues. For example, labourers and tribal people engaged in manual and hard labour, are susceptible to fingerprint changes over time.

Aadhaar has now evolved as one of the primary identity documents and a vital instrument for the targeted delivery of various government scheme benefits. However, Aadhaar number can be misused by some malicious actors. In this light, UIDAI to offer the Masked Aadhaar Card Service is a significant step.