Cost-benefit analysis of UID necessary: IIM-A professor

A cost-benefit evaluation of the Unique Identification Project (UID), which aims to provide a unique 12-digit number to each of the 1.2 billion Indians, is necessary, considering difficulties in implementation and scope for misuse afterwards, a ‘working paper’ (WP) by a professor at Indian Institute of Management says.

"There had been serious debates in countries like Australia, Canada and UK about the viability national identity policy, given that the chances of misuse of data in a centralised system increase by leaps and bounds," the WP written by Prof Rajnish Dass of IIM Ahmedabad says.

"It becomes a single point of failure," it adds.  The paper, titled ‘Unique Identity Project in India: A Divine Dream or a Miscalculated Heroism?’ tries to put the UID project in a perspective.     

Government of India established Unique ID Authority of India (UIDAI) in January 2009, to execute this largest IT project in the world.

The project, it is envisaged, would lay foundation for better delivery of public services and targeted subsidies.

It aims to achieve financial inclusion of the poor.