New Delhi, NFAPost: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) issued a notification to supersede Notification No. G.S.R. 993(E), dated December 11, 2015. The Ministry issued the notification on On April 13th.
The notification specify “UIDAI’s Central Identities Data Repository (CIDR) facilities, Information Assets, Logistics Infrastructure and Dependencies Installed at UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) locations to be Protected System for the Purpose of Information Technology Act 2000”.
The Ministry’s initiatives comes in the backdrop of last year-end workshop titled ‘Aadhaar 2.0- Ushering the Next Era of Digital Identity and Smart Governance’. The project is considering Aadhaar as a Trusted ID as a platform and method for delivering innovative digital solutions.
The following has been stated namely: –
The computer resource of the Central Identities Data Repository of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and its following facilities and information assets to be a protected system for the purposes of Information Technology Act, 2000, namely: –
1. Bangalore Hebbal Data Centre (HDC)
2. Security Operations Centre of HDC
3. Network Operations Centre of HDC
4. Manesar Data Centre (MDC)
5. Security Operations Centre of MDC
6. Network Operations Centre of MDC
7. UIDAI Headquarters Security Operations Centre
8. Information Security Division and Enforcement Wings of UIDAI Head Quarter
9. Cyber Forensic Laboratory at UIDAI Head Quarter
10. Logistics Infrastructure and Dependencies installed at UIDAI.
Aadhaar has made a fundamental difference in lives of millions of people especially those who are at the bottom of pyramid. It has made a significant difference the way government programmes are administered.
Commenting on the Aadhaar 2.0, Union Minister of Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw mentioned about the 3 thoughts/ideas that can be deliberated upon.
“We need to raise questions of having international standards for identification given in the context of globe which is increasingly getting digitalized. We have to make the Aadhaar services more accessible by building technologies and hardware systems around it. Also, Aadhaar privacy and legal framework is settled with Aadhaar Act, and Supreme Court judgement and will be further strengthened by Data Privacy Bill,” said Union Minister of Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Ministry of Electronics & IT Secretary Ajay Prakash Sawhney said that Aadhaar has given identity to large number of people who did not any identity earlier.
“Aadhaar has shown that digital identity can be used in several ways than the physical identity can be used. It has been used in a range of services and has helped in bringing financial inclusion, broadband and telecom services, and direct benefit transfers to the bank account of citizens in a transparent way,” said Ministry of Electronics & IT Secretary Ajay Prakash Sawhney.
Talking from futuristic perspective, UIDAI Former Chairman Nandan Nilekani highlighted 3 ideas that can be discussed.
“These include the role of Aadhaar in the transformation of the electrical grid system that requires discoms to be healthy, for which electricity subsidies to go directly go into the bank accounts of beneficiaries; direct benefit transfers to the forest residents for preserving biodiversity and forests; and portability of social security systems,” said UIDAI Former Chairman Nandan Nilekani.
