Exclusion from food ration due to Aadhaar significant but people prefer PDS linkage: Survey

The amount of exclusions from food ration due to Aadhaar-related factors is "significant" but lower than those by factors unrelated to the national biometric ID, according to a survey.

A household survey in three states of Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and West Bengal, found that majority of Indians value privacy but 87 per cent also approve of linking Aadhaar to programmes like PDS.

"While exclusion from food ration (PDS) due to Aadhaar-related factors is significant, it is lower than exclusion explained by factors unrelated to Aadhaar," the survey conducted by global development analytics firm IDinsight said.

Exclusions from food ration due to Aadhaar-related factors was found to be around 2.2 per cent in West Bengal, lower than 6.5 per cent exclusion due to non-Aadhaar related factors.

Overall monthly exclusion from PDS in Rajasthan is 9.9 per cent, whereas it is 1.1 per cent in Andhra Pradesh. Of this, Aadhaar-related factors contribute 2.2 per cent and 0.8 per cent respectively, the report said.

Despite this, the report claimed to have found that a majority of food ration (PDS) recipients prefer Aadhaar-based PDS delivery in both states, "as they perceive biometric authentication prevents identity fraud", it said.

The biometric ID Aadhaar coverage is now bigger than election voter IDs and has become the most common ID proof for opening of bank accounts and obtaining mobile SIM cards, the report by the global development analytics firm which is working across India said.

Aadhaar is the most widely held unique and verifiable identity, covering 120.9 crore residents, but the quality of the Aadhaar data has rooms for improvement.

To reduce programme exclusion, the report recommended reconsidering monthly biometric authentication as well as exploring alternative technologies (like offline authentication) or processes (like annual verification) that provide a similar secure experience, but reduce Aadhaar-related exclusion.

Also, rules allowing alternative IDs or authentication mechanisms should be enforced. "Mechanisms are in place to ensure bene?ts are not denied due to Aadhaar: enforce these strongly. Awareness of other authentication means (eg, mobile OTP) is low: popularise them," it said.

Commenting on the report, Aadhaar-issuing authority UIDAI CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey said the report highlighted that the biometric ID has wide-scale support and acceptance on the ground.

"PDS exclusion due to the failure of the local administration, though small, should be taken very seriously by the concerned agencies. They should ensure that not a single beneficiary should be denied benefits or services," he said.

Exclusion is a concern which is being seriously addressed by the Union government and various state ministries and departments with necessary directions and circulars, he said.

Pandey said the Aadhaar Act and government instructions provide for alternative means of identification for the genuine beneficiaries who face problems in authentication.

The report said its scale, ability to uniquely identify individuals, and digital interface make Aadhaar a compelling identification platform. But these same features also raise questions about privacy, data security, and exclusion.

"The current debate on Aadhaar is binary in nature: either Aadhaar should be jettisoned or scaled aggressively," it said.

On privacy, Pandey said, "We value privacy as a right which is fundamental. We appreciate that as per the report Indians as a majority almost 87 per cent approve linking pof Aadhaar to government services and 77 per cent to private services."