What is the significance of Aadhaar in the implementation of social welfare benefits in India

Explain how the Modi government is utilizing Aadhaar to deny social welfare benefits to vulnerable citizens according to Congress.
The Aadhaar program in India holds significant importance in implementing social welfare benefits. Here are some points explaining how the Modi government is utilizing Aadhaar, as claimed by the Congress, to deny social welfare benefits to vulnerable citizens:
  • Aadhaar is being made mandatory for accessing various social welfare schemes and benefits, which could lead to exclusion of citizens who do not possess an Aadhaar card.
  • There have been reported cases where technical glitches and authentication failures of Aadhaar have resulted in citizens being denied their entitled benefits.
  • The linking of Aadhaar to welfare programs aims to weed out duplicate and ghost beneficiaries, but there have been allegations of genuine beneficiaries being wrongfully excluded due to issues like biometric failures or incorrect data entry.
  • By imposing Aadhaar as a prerequisite for accessing welfare schemes, the government has raised concerns about privacy infringement and potential exclusion of vulnerable populations such as the elderly or homeless who might face challenges in procuring an Aadhaar card.
  • There is a perceived lack of transparency and accountability in the process of Aadhaar implementation, with reports suggesting cases of corruption and irregularities in the enrollment and verification process.
It is important to note that these points represent the perspective of the Congress party, and other viewpoints may exist regarding the utilization of Aadhaar in social welfare benefits.
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