In India, Aadhaar Card has become one of the most important identity documents that a person can possess. With the population of India reaching nearly 1.33 billion as of 2021, it is essential to have a unique identification number system that simplifies the management of economic, social and governmental services. The Aadhaar Card, which is a biometric identification card, serves just that purpose. It has become a critical document for Indians, not only because of its unique identification capabilities, but also because of the many benefits that come with it.
Uses Of Aadhaar Card:
Aadhaar Card serves as a unique identification tool and is used in many aspects of daily life in India. It is useful in the following areas:
- Identification: It acts as the primary identification document for individuals in India, enabling them to access various government services and schemes. It is beneficial for people who do not have any other identification documents.
2. Bank Accounts: It is mandatory for individuals who wish to open a bank account to provide their Aadhaar Card details. The government has made it mandatory to link Aadhaar Card with banking services to ensure transparency and reduce financial fraud.
3. Mobile Connections: It has also become mandatory for individuals to link their Aadhaar Card with their mobile numbers for purposes such as aadhar card to mobile number link. This step is taken to curb the malpractices of issuing mobile connections on fake or incorrect identity documents; it helps to keep track of the number of mobile connections one person possesses.
4. Digital Locker: With increasing digitization and the growing need for paperless documentation in India, Digital Locker provides secure storage of important documents. It can be accessed anytime, anywhere using Aadhaar Card login.
5. Government Schemes: Aadhaar Card is used while availing various Government schemes like LPG subsidy, food ration, pension schemes, education schemes, etc.
6. Tax Types: Aadhaar Card also serves as a prerequisite while filling income tax returns. The government has initiated this step to ensure that every citizen pays their taxes on time and without discrepancies.
Benefits Of Aadhaar Card:
Apart from serving as a distinctive identification tool, Aadhaar Card has many benefits in India:
1. Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): The Government of India’s DBT scheme provides subsidies and financial benefits to individuals directly through their bank accounts. This scheme has played a significant role in helping individuals avail of government subsidies and benefits without any intermediate involvement, hence quick and transparent.
2. Financial Inclusion: Aadhaar card ensures that every person has an identity proof document, allowing them to have access to financial services such as bank accounts, loans, and credit cards. Providing identification to people outside banking is helpful in bringing individuals into the economy.
3. Reducing Duplicate and Ghost Beneficiaries: With Aadhaar Card, the government can keep a check on the bogus beneficiaries of government schemes. It reduces duplicity and ensures efficient targeting of the actual beneficiaries of these schemes.
4. Digital India: Aadhaar Card is accredited as an essential catalyst and enabler for India’s ambitious Digital India Initiative. It has helped in facilitating digital transactions and reducing paper documentation across the length and breadth of the country.
5. KYC Norm: Aadhaar Card has become the primary KYC tool for service providers such as telecom operators, banks, insurance companies, and financial institutions. This initiative has expedited the verification process for account opening, which otherwise used to take days, and sometimes weeks.
6. E-Voting: With Aadhaar Card, the government is planning to incorporate e-voting accessibility for remote voters, bringing the polls right to people’s doorstep. It is bound to make the voting process more accessible and efficient.
Future Perspectives Of Aadhaar:
The Aadhaar card system has been successful, but it is still improving and extending its features to bring more benefits. India needs effective identification and verification systems, and Aadhaar can provide a robust backbone for such systems. Here are some ways in which Aadhaar is expected to evolve in the future:
1. Protection of Aadhaar Data: Concerns are raised about the security and privacy concerns of Aadhaar data. Technological advancements are expected to promote better encryption for secure storage of Aadhaar data.
2. Globally Recognized Ecosystem: Aadhaar has become globally recognized, and it has the potential to become an integral link to regulations and protocols being followed across the world in the near future.
3. Smart Contracts: Aadhaar-enabled smart contracts will allow smooth, transparent, and quick execution of contracts in various sectors, enabling fast resolution of disputes.
4. Unified Communication System: Aadhaar card can also act as the unique ID card for central and state government employees, enabling communication on a common platform.
5. Genetic Material Identification: With the Government of India’s new and unique policy on genetic material identification in progress, Aadhaar card has the potential to become the base of such identification programs.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the Aadhaar Card has served as a unique identification tool for Indians, providing manifold benefits and helping the government to track, plan and distribute various services throughout the nation efficiently. The Aadhaar card has transformed the lives of many individuals in India and has positively impacted the Indian economy. The future of Aadhaar is promising, and it is expected to be the backbone of the e-governance movement in India. In summary, it is a game-changer, helping India move towards becoming a developed nation.
