As is abundantly clear from the post reproduced below, the whole Unique IID project is steeped deep in utter murkiness. There is something horribly rotten in the state of Denmark. Never mind the Prince Charming and the Superman rolled together - the great Nandan Nilekani, at the helm.
The national media, almost every other day, is gloating over the grandiose project. Even today's Asian Age announces, with evident delight: "NRIs will get UIDs too, says Nilekani"! (See: < http://epaper.asianage.com/Asian/AAge/2009/11/19/ArticleHtmls/19_11_2009_003_010.shtml>.) Of course, these will be another prized possession for our even otherwise well-endowed NRIs. No doubt about that! And, as regards the main scheme itself, we're told: Quote The scheme, the largest of its kind in the world and which is expected to provide biometric details of fingerprints and photograph of 1.2 billion Indians, will be used to confer benefits to the poor availing the NREGA and other programmes of social uplift. Mr Nilekani said. The main challenge facing the UIDAI team is how to work out the verification standards for such a large population. "Eighty per cent of the problem lies in verification of identity. The verification committee, headed by former central vigilance commissioner N. Vittal, is working to provide this fundamental infrastructure and is expected to submit its report in the next three months," Mr Nilekani said. Providing precise details about the project, Mr Nilekani said the UID number will give an identity to the country's huge population and especially the poor by ensuring there is no duplication of people or of anonymous beneficiaries. "Our technology will ensure there are no duplicates, no ghosts and no impersonation in any of these schemes," he said. He did not see any problem in maintaining such a large database. The UID will not confer benefits on its users. But once it becomes fundamental then other agencies including the passport office and income tax authorities can do the requisite modification to make passports and PAN cards compliant to this number he added. Unquote And compare this with: "The Planning Commission [PC] has stated in writing (with a copy to me) to the Central Information Commission [CIC] that the UIDAI [Unique Identification Authority of India] is not operational and it has only 1 officer on its rolls at present". And also: "The most hilarious joke during proceedings was that "the Authority responsible for maintaining the world's largest computer database cannot even put up a website of its own"". So, what the heck is going on!? And what is particularly disconcerting is that the UIDAI is operating "with "private" help from NN's Infosys and international "friends"" on a project which is being touted as one of great "national importance, and the chief of which has been granted the status of a Union Cabinet Minister! This sounds utterly sinister. *The project even otherwise is widely being comprehended as an assault on the citizen's privacy and also safety - in terms of the threat of "identity theft" etc. Also it may turn a very large section of our population - unlettered and without proper shelter etc. and thereby incapable of handling such number or card - overnight into non-citizens and face all the trauma that will come as a consequence.* *The CIC order expected today should provide a concrete ground for taking legal action accompanied by all-out public campaign demanding complete transparency as regards the methods, status and expected outcomes of the project.* Sukla From: Anivar Aravind <anivar.arav...@gmail.com> From: sarbajit roy <mail.sarbajit...@gmail.com> Date: Wed, Nov 18, 2009 at 5:54 PM Subject: [rti_india] UIDAI is not operational says GoI to Central Info Commission The Planning Commission [PC] has stated in writing (with a copy to me) to the Central Information Commission [CIC] that the UIDAI [Unique Identification Authority of India] is not operational and it has only 1 officer on its rolls at present ( orally: and they are also under an eviction notice to vacate their offices.at Yojana Bhawan and arrange private office space since GoI has no space for them. <smile>). NN [Nandan Nilekani] was described as a "only a media hero" The order of CIC is expected soon after today's hearings. Incidentally the "secret" document was admitted and a direction as sought by PC from the CIC to "order it to be published on Planning Commission website - and we would comply" - which was rightly rejected out of hand. The CIC was also duly informed that the secret doc was not prepared by the UIDAI but with "private" help from NN's Infosys and international "friends". Furthermore despite being sanctioned a budget of Rs 120 crore for this year the UIDAI officer has not spent even a single rupee so far because of non-notification of UIDAI. The most hilarious joke during proceedings was that "the Authority responsible for maintaining the world's largest computer database cannot even put up a website of its own" Sarbajit --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send email to greenyouth@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to greenyouth+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
