90 per cent of Aadhaar holders feel their data is safe, says report

The report also said 90 per cent of people wrongly believe that the UIDAI number is mandatory for bank accounts.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

Around 90 per cent of Aadhaar card holders believe their biometric data is safe and 80% of them feel the service has made government subsidies like rations and pensions more dependable, according to a report by social impact advisory group Dalberg. 

The report titled ‘State of Aadhaar 2019’ also said 90 per cent of people wrongly believe that the UIDAI number is required for bank accounts.

The report stated that 1/3rd of holders who tried to update their details claimed that the process was difficult. It also mentioned that around 77 per cent holders are yet to use the digital features of the ID service like mAadhaar, QR code or masked Aadhaar.

With the service celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the report states that while its holders use it once per month on an average, 8 per cent of the population (i.e. an estimated 102 million people) don’t use the service.

The report revealed that 30 per cent of destitutes do not use the service nor do 27 per cent of people belonging to the third gender. Also, 90 per cent of Assam's population and 61 per cent of Meghalaya's population do not have the service.

Launched to understand the utility of the biometric ID system, the study said that the Aadhaar service can see many more users if it improves its on-ground process and considers the ‘social safety’ aspects.

"The social safety net could be appreciably strengthened for the nation’s most vulnerable groups—such as people who have low levels of education, are homeless, or identify as third gender—by offering additional support to those who need Aadhaar but cannot acquire it," the report read.

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The New Indian Express
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