This refers to the editorial "Keeping Aadhaar" (September 25). The passport and permanent account number (PAN) were designed as single purpose identity vehicles and yet the sheer number and geographical spread for securing them, entailed decades to streamline their delivery with highest levels of data fidelity. The Aadhaar was weak on two counts: the number was much higher than the passport and PAN put together and effective delivery was expected in less than half a decade even as it was prematurely loaded with catering to the refund of commodity/utility prices etc. Such overloading will continue unless the Aadhaar stage-I goal and time frame get fixed. Meanwhile, the PAN could offer a temporary platform for direct benefits transfer. Else, an overloaded Aadhaar will discover greater disillusionment.
R Narayanan Ghaziabad
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