What are the benefits and challenges of using Aadhaar in welfare schemes
The use of Aadhaar in welfare schemes has raised concerns among citizens. This question explores the benefits and challenges associated with this practice.
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Benefits:
- Efficiency: Aadhaar helps streamline the distribution of welfare benefits by eliminating duplicate or ghost beneficiaries and reducing manual paperwork, leading to greater efficiency in the system.
- Targeted delivery: Aadhaar enables the identification and targeting of the intended beneficiaries, ensuring that welfare benefits reach those who truly need them, thus reducing leakages and improving the efficacy of welfare programs.
- Financial inclusion: Aadhaar facilitates the direct transfer of benefits to the bank accounts of beneficiaries, promoting financial inclusion and enabling them to access their entitlements easily.
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Challenges:
- Privacy concerns: The collection and storage of biometric and personal information raise concerns about privacy and potential misuse of data.
- Exclusion errors: Technical glitches or authentication failures can result in eligible beneficiaries being excluded from accessing their entitled benefits, causing hardships for them.
- Security vulnerabilities: The centralized nature of the Aadhaar system poses security vulnerabilities, which could potentially lead to data breaches and identity theft.
Answered
a year ago