Mumbai: In a recent development, A bill to allow Aadhaar to be used as a proof for the voluntary opening of bank accounts and obtaining mobile connections were taken to the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
Aadhaar and Other Law (Amendment) Bill, 2019, whose purpose is to replace the Ordinance issued in March 2019, has been passed by the Lok Sabha only last week.
Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad transferred the bill for consideration and passage in the Upper House.
He assured the House that the use of the Aadhaar is voluntary and the biometric identity holder must be received before using the informed consent.
The minister clarified that the Supreme Court has clearly stated that the basis meets the legitimate objective, it does not violate the principle of confidentiality, and clearly necessary to save the distribution of subsidies and the complete misuse of those provisions.
“India has a population of 130 crores, out of which 123.81 million are with Indian base. With 69.38 crore mobile number base and 65.91 crore bank accounts are connected with the base.
Prasad told the House, “We have sent a direct benefit transfer of 7.48 lakh crore rupees to more than 240 schemes to people across the country, we have saved Rs 1.41 lakh crore.”
“We have amended the Telegraph Act, under which we have allowed the cavity that it will not be compulsory, but will be voluntary. Customer may come with a base or any other document such as a passport or any other document approved by the rules.
“In the case of banks, it will not be mandatory by voluntary. The basis will be one of the means of identification between passports or others by regulation,” the minister said.
Prasad said that the basis can be used if any state is the purpose or the parliament has passed a law for such a purpose.
“Thirdly, authorization allows the unit that your initiative is covered by fair privacy and security concerns in only those scenarios which can be passed, but voluntary.”
Under the Amendment Telegraph Act, 1885, and Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, for the use of Aadhaar number for KYC certification on a voluntary basis.
Simply put, this means that it will allow voluntary use of base numbers for authentication and identity proof in the opening of bank accounts and purchasing mobile phone connections.
It also gives the option of exiting the biometric ID program when the children get 18 years of age while determining harsh penalties for infringement of the norms used for violation of the use of the base and privacy.
(With PTI Inputs)
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