Statutory status to Aadhar; goverment to bring Bill in 2 days

Government is set to introduce the Aadhar Bill in Parliament in the next couple of days to give the platform a statutory backing, a move that will expand its range of utility in providing government benefits.

"I will introduce in one or two days. It is ready. I have also given notice," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Monday while talking about his announcement on Aadhar.

"We will undertake significant reforms, such as the enactment of a law to ensure that all government benefits are conferred upon persons who deserve it, by giving a statutory backing to the Aadhar platform," Jaitley said in speech for Union Budget 2016-17.

Till date over 98 crore Aadhaar numbers have been generated. Per day average of 26 lakh biometric and over 1.5 lakh e-KYC transactions are made. Aadhaar numbers have been seeded in 11.19 crore DBTL accounts out of total 16.5 crore DBTL beneficiaries.

There is already a National Identification Authority of India Bill, 2010, pending in the Rajya Sabha.

The statutory status will provide a legal foundation to Aadhaar for expanding its use for a range of developmental purposes.

It has been suggested that all benefits, subsidies or services funded from the consolidated fund of India should be through Aadhaar platform.

Jaitley said that a critical component of minimum government and maximum governance is to ensure targeted disbursement of government subsidies to actual beneficiaries.

"First, we will introduce the targeted delivery of financial and other subsidiary benefits services by using the Aadhar framework. The bill will be introduced in the current budget session of Parliament.

"The Aadhar number or authentication shall however not confirm any rights of citizenship or domicile," he said.

The finance minister said the public money should reach the poor and deserving without any leakage.