PAC Demands Urgent Review of Aadhaar Over Biometric Failures, Welfare Exclusion
In a major move that may affect the basis of India’s digital identity system, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Parliament has raised grave concerns about Aadhaar’s operation. The PAC has formally called for a thorough review of the Aadhaar infrastructure and its implementation procedures, citing a high biometric failure rate and an increase in beneficiary exclusion from welfare programs.
The committee’s findings coincide with the fact that Aadhaar authentication is now required in order to receive government welfare programs, pensions, and subsidies. But ironically, the very instrument designed to promote inclusion is actually causing systemic exclusion, particularly among the elderly, people with disabilities, and marginalized communities, according to the PAC’s most recent report.
Biometric Mismatches Causing Welfare Denial
The growing number of biometric mismatches is the main source of the PAC’s worries. Aadhaar’s primary authentication methods, fingerprint and iris, are failing at a startling rate, especially in rural areas where people with worn biometric markers, elderly people, and manual laborers find it difficult to verify their identities.
The PAC report states that “the most vulnerable citizens are unable to access their rightful entitlements due to serious technical limitations in the current Aadhaar authentication system.”
According to field data the panel cited, biometric failure rates have reached 10-12% in some states, depriving eligible beneficiaries of necessities like food rations under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
Need for Accountability and Technological Upgradation
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has been urged by the PAC to review its technological framework and implement alternative, more inclusive, and reliable verification methods. Additionally, it has demanded that UIDAI be held more accountable for resolving citizen complaints.
A senior PAC member emphasized that the government must make sure no citizen is left behind in the name of digital governance, saying, “Aadhaar was envisioned as a means to empower, not to alienate.”
The report also suggests creating region-specific solutions in cases where biometric authentication is consistently unreliable, bolstering grievance redressal procedures, and clearly outlining procedures for manual override in an emergency.
Digital Inclusion or Digital Divide?
The PAC’s findings highlight an important discussion: Are the people India aims to uplift being left behind by its push for digital governance? Unquestionably, Aadhaar has made many services more efficient and decreased leaks in the distribution of subsidies, but the increasing reliance on a single biometric authentication method has raised worries about a possible digital divide.
Any technology-driven governance model needs to be supplemented with sufficient human oversight and built-in flexibility to allow for exceptions, experts have cautioned. If this isn’t done, millions could find a tool for empowerment becomes a barrier.
Government’s Response Awaited
All eyes are now on the Center and UIDAI’s response as the PAC presents its findings to the Lok Sabha. Will the government continue to promote the current Aadhaar framework as a digital success story or will it admit its shortcomings?
How the government responds to these issues could have a significant political impact because elections are approaching and welfare access is still a contentious topic.
The PAC cautions that India’s most vulnerable citizens must not suffer as a result of the country’s digital future.
