Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)

GS II: Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies

• The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is a statutory authority
• It was established by the Government of India under the provisions of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits, and Services) Act, 2016.
• It operates under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• It is responsible for issuing and managing Aadhaar, a 12-digit unique identification number for Indian residents.

Key functions and responsibilities of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)

1. Aadhaar Enrollment and Issuance: UIDAI is responsible for enrolling individuals and issuing Aadhaar numbers. It collects biometric and demographic data of residents and assigns a unique Aadhaar number to each individual.
2. Aadhaar Authentication and Verification: UIDAI provides a secure platform for Aadhaar authentication and verification. This authentication is used by various government and private entities to verify an individual’s identity for service delivery and benefit distribution.
3. Ensuring Data Security and Privacy: UIDAI is tasked with maintaining the confidentiality, security, and integrity of the Aadhaar database. It implements robust security measures to protect personal information and prevent unauthorized access.
4. Updating Aadhaar Details: The UIDAI facilitates the process of updating and correcting demographic and biometric details of individuals in the Aadhaar database. This ensures that the data remains accurate and up to date.
5. Aadhaar-Based Services: UIDAI enables Aadhaar-based services like Aadhaar-based payments, e-KYC (Know Your Customer), and digital signatures, enhancing the ease of transactions and service delivery.
6. Providing Support to Agencies: UIDAI provides technical and operational support to government agencies, banks, and other organizations to integrate Aadhaar authentication in their systems and processes.
7. Aadhaar-Based Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): UIDAI supports the government’s Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme by ensuring that subsidies and benefits are directly transferred to the beneficiaries’ Aadhaar-linked bank accounts.
8. Public Awareness and Education: UIDAI conducts public awareness and education campaigns to inform individuals about the benefits and proper use of Aadhaar and to dispel any misconceptions or myths surrounding it.

Challenges

• Aadhaar has become a foundational identity document in India, facilitating efficient and targeted service delivery and helping in the implementation of various government welfare schemes and financial inclusion initiatives.
• However, concerns related to data privacy and security have also been raised, and UIDAI continues to work on addressing these issues and ensuring that Aadhaar is used responsibly and securely.