The Modi government has been pushing Aadhaar on the premise of welfare. The RTIs reveal a different story.
The Modi government has been pushing Aadhaar — the 12-digit, biometrics-linked Unique Identification (UID) number to be fed into a centralised national database of sensitive personal information about residents — on the premise of welfare. The government claims that linking Aadhaar to the Public Distribution System and other welfare schemes has weeded out “ghost” beneficiaries, resulting in huge savings. The Centre even told the Supreme Court that Aadhaar has ensured the Right to Food for millions of people living below the poverty line — even as civil society activists have been crying hoarse over how Aadhaar has wrecked the welfare system. Watch this video to know more.