Insights Daily Current Events, 29 November 2014
AADHAAR
Present situation:
Total number of AADHAAR cards generated so far: 70.43 crore
AADHAAR saturation level:
- more than 90% in nine States / UTs;
- between 75 and 90% in seven States /UTs and
- between 50 and 75% in another eight States / UTs.
- In remaining twelve States /UTs, the Aadhaar saturation level is under 50%.
Total money sanctioned for this project: Rs. 13663.22 crore.
A target of universal enrolment has been set by the government.
About AADHAAR:
Aadhaar is a 12 digit individual identification number which will serve as a proof of identity and address, anywhere in India.
How the scheme is helpful:
- Aadhaar-platform is aimed at providing social security benefits / subsidies based on eligibility through direct benefit transfer. It provides access and options to rural and poor people. It helps bring transparency and eliminate corruption, leakage and inefficiency.
- It was conceived as an initiative that would provide identification for each resident across the country and would be used primarily as the basis for efficient delivery of welfare services.
- It would also act as a tool for effective monitoring of various programs and schemes of the Government.
Who assigns the number?
- The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) assigns Unique Identification Number “Aadhaar” to residents of India on voluntary basis.
UIDIA:
- The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is an agency of the Government of India responsible for implementing the Aadhaar Identities. The agency was established in January-2009, and owns and operates the Unique Identities database. The Unique Identification Authority of India had been established under the Planning Commission. The Unique Identification Authority of India has been established under the Planning Commission by an executive order.
- The agency provides a unique identification number to all persons resident in India on voluntary basis. The agency maintains a database of residents containing biometric and other data, and is headed by a chairman, who holds a cabinet rank.
- UIDAI is the Registrar of Identities i.e. it registers, assigns and verifies the unique identities. It is supposed to register two types of unique identities:
- Residents of India (called Aadhaar)
- Corporate entities (Corporate-UID) for company, bank, NGO, trust, political party etc.: Corporate-UID has been provisioned within 12-digit UID number system. Corporate-UID is supposed to produce the similar effect as Aadhaar for corporate entities i.e. identification and traceability of transactions. It is supposed to bring transparency on financial transactions, donations; and to prevent corruption, money laundering, benami transactions (i.e. under a fictitious name), allocation of natural resources like land, spectrum, mining of sand, iron-ore, coal-blocks, etc.
Issues:
- Aadhaar lacks legal or statutory authority as of now.
- The AADHAAR number is not recognized as a legal proof of residence due to issues with the data protection. India’s Intelligence Bureau claims anyone with an Aadhaar number can introduce others without any documentation to get the identity number, which makes it vulnerable to terrorism and other issues.
Sources: PIB, UIDIA, Wiki.
Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana
The Scheme “Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana (VKY)” has been included as a Central Sector Scheme in the Annual Plan of Ministry of Tribal Affairs with an initial allocation of Rs. 100.00 Crore for 2014-15.
Aim: The VKY is broadly a process, aiming at overall development of tribal people with an outcome-base approach, which would ensure that all the intended benefits goods and services to the tribal people through various programmes/schemes of Central and State Governments covered under the respective Tribal Sub-Plans actually reach them by way of appropriate convergence.
Through VKY, it is envisaged to develop the backward blocks in the Schedule V States as model Blocks with visible infrastructural facilities to further the mission development while ensuring the following:
- Qualitative and sustainable employment.
- Emphasis on quality education & higher education.
- Accelerated economic development of tribal areas.
- Health for all.
- Housing for all.
- Safe drinking water for all at doorsteps.
- Irrigation facilities suited to the terrain.
- All weather roads with connectivity to the nearby town/cities.
- Universal availability of electricity.
- Urban development.
- Robust institutional mechanism to roll the vehicle of development with sustainability.
- Promotion and conservation of Tribal Cultural Heritage.
- Promotion of Sports in Tribal Areas.
Sources: PIB.
Expenditure Management Commission
The Government has constituted an Expenditure Management Commission (EMC) through Resolution in September, 2014. The EMC has started its functioning.
Why was it constituted?
- It was constituted to look into various aspects of expenditure reforms to be undertaken by the Government such as review of the institutional arrangements including budgeting process and Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) rules, suggest ways to improve allocative efficiencies in the existing expenditure classification system, and other issues concerning Public Expenditure Management.
Sources: PIB.
Varishta Pension Bima Yojana (VPBY)
The Government has revived the Varishta Pension Bima Yojana (VPBY) scheme for the benefit of senior citizens aged 60 years and above. The scheme is being administered through Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).
What are the benefits?
- Under the scheme, all those who will subscribe to the VPBY, will receive a pension linked to an assured guaranteed return of 9% on the lump sum contribution under the Yojana.
The Salient features of the scheme are as under:
- The scheme provides pension in the form of immediate annuity during the lifetime of the pensioner with return of purchase price to the family/nominee on his/her death.
- The mode of payment of pension can be monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or yearly.
- The pension payment shall be through ECS or NEFT.
- The minimum pension that can be subscribed to will be Rs. 500/- per month, Rs. 1500/- per quarter, Rs. 3000/- per half-year or Rs. 6000/- per year.
- The maximum pension that can be subscribed to will be Rs. 5,000/- per month, Rs. 15,000/- per quarter, Rs. 30,000/- per half-year or Rs. 60,000/- per year.
- A lump sum purchase price for the desired pension shall be paid by the subscriber under the scheme.
Sources: PIB.
