Adhaar data cannot be breached, reiterates RS Prasad

Law and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday reiterated that Aadhaar data cannot be breached, as it is stored in a safe and secure encrypted manner.

"Biometric data on Aadhaar is kept in safe and secure conditions in an encrypted form, and so strong that even for the billionth of a second it cannot be breached. The unique initiative of Aadhaar is that we do three crore authentications every three seconds. Aaadhar Data is kept in secure conditions duly backed by a parliamentary law, so strong that if anyone tries to disclose the biometric details, he can be prosecuted and it can only happen in the case of compelling national security that too after the affirmation of a committee headed by the cabinet secretary," he said while speaking at a financial inclusion conference here.

Talking about the Centre's vision of complete digitisation, Prasad acknowledged that while financial inclusion is the goal, digitalisation is the medium.

"We created ecosystems, relaxed the laws, created incentives, removed the barriers for development. The philosophy of the Narendra Modi government is to create the enabling atmosphere so that people can do their business and pay taxes and with that our government would help the poor. Banking the unbanked, funding the unfunded and securing the unsecured is yet another philosophy of our government. India has opened 55 per cent global bank accounts since the Narendra Modi government came to power," he added.

Talking about the Centre's vision in the field of artificial intelligence, Prasad opined that India should become the centre of data analytics.

"According to a London-based think tank, India is among the top 20 global leaders in the digitalisation and e-governance sector. India should become the centre of the data analysis. Data analytics is the future." Prasad added.

Speaking about the digitalisation of the judiciary and courts, Prasad said that around 17,000 district courts and all the high courts have become digital. "Our data, IT and digital profile and services will become a benchmark on how IT can be used for transformation in a democracy," he added.

Prasad also said that through the Digital India programme, the Centre aims to empower ordinary citizens with the power of technology, a technology that is low-cost, developmental and inclusive.