The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial And Other Subsidies, Benefits And Services) Bill, 2016 (bill no. 47 of 2016)- ‘Aadhaar Bill’ is introduced in the Lok Sabha on 3rd day of March, 2016, however, the opposition has great oppose to this bill, as it was introduced as ‘money bill’. The fact behind this bringing this Aadhaar Bill is that the Government is offering numerous social benefit schemes like subsidies, services, wages, grants, etc. in favour of individuals and they are mostly funded from the Consolidated Fund of India. However, without proper and correct identification of the targeted beneficiaries for delivery of such schemes, the Government feels it challenge to deliver such schemes. As such, it was earlier seen when the Government of India by its resolution has established, ‘The Unique Identification Authority of India’ in the year 2009 with the object to lay down a policies and to implement the Unique Identification Scheme of The Government, through which the Indian residents were decided to be given Unique identity number, which would serve as proof of identity and could be used for getting benefits of various schemes of Government. It was also seen that the use of Aadhaar number has been increased in the manifold and following which the corresponding measures for ensuring security of such information and various other provisions were felt most required. Thus, the present Bill is brought to make such provisions.
The present Aadhaar Bill is as such making provisions for the issue of the Aadhaar numbers to the Indian residents after his being given information to the Unique Identification Authority of India. Also, as per the provisions sought to be made under this Bill, such Aadhaar numbers will be used for identifying such individuals for delivering of aforementioned benefits of schemes of Government from the Consolidated Fund of India. Such Aadhaar number’s authentication will be based on the Aadhaar holder’s demographic and biometric information. Also, the Bill is seeking to establish the Unique Identification Authority of India with One- Chairperson, two- Members and One- Member-Secretary. Also, this Bill requires the keeping of data with the Central Identities Data Repository. Also, there will be provisions for the security and privacy and also for confidentiality of such information. And the Bill in its ending provisions will also provide for the several offences and their corresponding penalties for contraventions thereof.
Read the Bill here