[Reader-list] Unique ID card to end duplicate identity, says Nilekani- 148

[Taha Mehmood]

Dear All

The view that Unique Identity Card (UIDC) will 'finally' end all
systemic faults of all other cards is being slowly established as a
'fact' not by introducing systems or procedures or giving evidence of
the presence of such a technology but by vocalizing this view in as
many different forums as possible.

There are those who think that these kinds of pronouncements must be
making the likes of Hitler so proud these days...he must be laughing
in his grave...it seems as if the Third Reich is resurrecting  itself.
Nazi's who first introduced systematic coding of human beings as
numbers and made it a point to imprint them on the body of those whom
they hated and thought ill of...had also perfected the subtle art of
mobilizing public opinion. The equation of which went something like
this... lie+repetition=Truth or something like that....I forget what
it actually was...anyways...

Why does it not surprise one that all the key players use mass media
to create an impression that UID is a worthy exercise. Why don't
someone tells them, that numbers are nothing new to Indians, so what's
so unique about UIDC?

Ration numbers, PAN numbers, Passport Numbers, Bank account Numbers,
Enrollment Numbers, Birth and Death registration Numbers, Phone
numbers etc have all been given to Indians in the past 60 years and
have all been duplicated, forged, faked and made redundant.

Should someone not consider that for a every single paisa spent on
these grand exercises there are opportunity costs, which must also be
considered? Should The Congress Party not realize this?

There is a view that we urgently need money for toilets, roads,
sanitation, primary education, and mass housing and perhaps we do not
need money so urgently for plastic tokens.

This view is, however, cynically snubbed by putting forth another view
that UIDC will make sure that as far as  the role social obligation is
concerned the Government can be made to comply.

But why does no one wants to take into consideration that in the last
60 years we have not being able to make our Sarkaar comply even with
having unique numbers? and then there are times when one 'feels' for
all those who think that digital data is worthy, as opposed to manual
data, because they must have not heard any stories related to banks
using digital data and mixing up information or credit card companies
overcharging, or phone companies forgetting data folders and so on.

And now..Nandan Saheb Rehmatullah is saying the UIDC will 'END' duplication...

 :)

We wait with baited breath...

Warm regards

Taha

http://in.news.yahoo.com/43/20090713/864/ttc-unique-id-card-to-end-duplicate-iden.html

Unique ID card to end duplicate identity, says Nilekani

Mon, Jul 13 04:46 PM

Bangalore, July 13 (IANS) Nandan Nilekani, chairperson of the newly
set-up Unique Identification Authority of India (UIAI) to provide each
Indian an identity card, said Monday a major problem at present is
duplicate identity in many of the government systems, leading to
fraud.

The new authority would help end ID card duplication by creating a
network of verification and authentication, Nilekani, co-founder of IT
major Infosys, told reporters after meeting Karnataka Chief Minister
B.S. Yeddyurappa.

'A major problem today with identity is that many (government) systems
have lot of duplicates leading to fraud,' he said.

Yeddyurappa facilitated Nilekani on his new assignment. Nilekani quit
the Infosys co-chairman's post as also from the company's board on
July 9 following his appointment as head of the UIAI.

The UIAI would create a national database of Indian residents. It
would use bio-metrics, fingerprints and other methods necessary to
ensure people have a unique number. This would end the problem of
duplicates, he added.

On the time the authority would need to complete the process, Nilekani
said: 'First I have to find an office.'

A hunt is on at Delhi for office premises for the new authority, which
will function under India's Planning Commission, which is headed by
the prime minister.
Indo Asian News Service