UNIQUE ID CARDS

The government’s plan to issue unique ID numbers in the form of ID cards has received a mixed response. I believe, the apprehensions are unfounded and that it is a positive and ingenious move which will “speed-up” our journey on the road to development.

From the perspective of a common man, it alleviates the phenomenon of “identity crisis” commoners go through on a regular basis. It gives every Indian a unique ID number which will help in providing them with a sense of “existence”, particularly the destitute.

In a country like India, where the PDS is highly porous, the benefits of the accrued resources are unable to find a way through to the needy. As Rahul Gandhi pointed out, for every rupee spent on the public, only 5 paisa reaches them. The system of IDs will work as a double-edged sword by allowing the government to do away with the middle-man and deposit money directly in the accounts of the needy, in the process thwarting the money meandering power in the hands of the venal officials. Due to the lack of proper distribution system and the amount of resources needed in the process, the money is donated to the people annually, making it difficult for them to manage funds for the year round expenses. With the inception of ID cards the government will be able to deposit money on a monthly basis. This will also enable the people to draw loans. Even the rural poor, who migrate to the urban areas in search of employment will be able to receive a continuous allowance, which they are unable to receive presently. Therefore, it will provide an unprecedented transparency to the system and control the leakages. It will also make our dependence on the venal “babus” redundant.

Secondly, this system will go a long way in assuaging our worries over the security concerns facing us as it will become easier to differentiate between the residents of our country and the illegal immigrants.

Different institutions require different ID proofs for proceeding with the designated tasks. The system of unique IDs will reduce the burden on consumers by providing a ubiquitous platform.

Thus this system is a revolutionary move which will provide accountability to the system with the added bonus of poverty alleviation if implemented well.

References:

"Imagining India"- Nandan Nilekani

Wikipedia