Well my response wasn't really a blog post about why I want the UID system. It was simply an example of where it might be useful. I don't see how that's a bait and switch, it seems like you're more concerned about what I didn't say than what I did say in my post.
I come from a defense background, so lets just put that issue to rest right there. Are you bothered that I didn't say that in my first/second/third post either ?
It looks like you are plainly against the UID system, maybe that's coming out of your frustration of needing one for a gas pipeline, or maybe it's borne out of something else.
I acknowledge all your points about how the UID won't help in many situations. But the one thing it surely will enable is simplicity of documentation, and like I said before, I certainly welcome that.
There is a definite problem in India with 'proving who you say you are' - I hope the UID system will solve that to a certain extent.
What countries are you talking about ? Brazil, Chile, UAE, countries in the European Union, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, etc. all have UID systems in place. These tie in their ID, tax info, etc. into a single card. I've seen first hand how their IDs help them go through life and get out of the documentation hell that we suffer from in India.
In every response you are suggesting alternatives (hey, I could give my driving license for that, or there I could give my ration card, or wait in that other place they might accept my voter ID) to a UID system. The idea of documentation simplification is that you need just one ID for all of those things. (education, health, banks, etc.) Not only is it easier for the person presenting the ID, but it reduces the back end processing required for the service provider. When we talk of numbers as large as 1 billion, those inefficiencies stack up pretty quick.
You can go on talking about the failings of each scenario but the fact is that many Indians have no IDs (my grandfather didn't have any legit ID until he was 92, when we applied for a passport for him to go to Egypt). Maybe your domestic help have ration cards but please don't project your limited experience onto everyone else, that hardly makes for a valid argument.
Not to mention the authenticity of people's ration cards, voter's IDs, driving licenses, birth certificates, transcripts, transfer certificates, etc. That's a whole can of worms in itself.
It appears that you're afraid that our government will bungle up the whole initiative. Well, that of course is common in India and a risk with almost any initiative. Still, that's not a reason to not take initiatives in the first place.
I come from a defense background, so lets just put that issue to rest right there. Are you bothered that I didn't say that in my first/second/third post either ?
It looks like you are plainly against the UID system, maybe that's coming out of your frustration of needing one for a gas pipeline, or maybe it's borne out of something else.
I acknowledge all your points about how the UID won't help in many situations. But the one thing it surely will enable is simplicity of documentation, and like I said before, I certainly welcome that.
There is a definite problem in India with 'proving who you say you are' - I hope the UID system will solve that to a certain extent.
What countries are you talking about ? Brazil, Chile, UAE, countries in the European Union, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, etc. all have UID systems in place. These tie in their ID, tax info, etc. into a single card. I've seen first hand how their IDs help them go through life and get out of the documentation hell that we suffer from in India.
In every response you are suggesting alternatives (hey, I could give my driving license for that, or there I could give my ration card, or wait in that other place they might accept my voter ID) to a UID system. The idea of documentation simplification is that you need just one ID for all of those things. (education, health, banks, etc.) Not only is it easier for the person presenting the ID, but it reduces the back end processing required for the service provider. When we talk of numbers as large as 1 billion, those inefficiencies stack up pretty quick.
You can go on talking about the failings of each scenario but the fact is that many Indians have no IDs (my grandfather didn't have any legit ID until he was 92, when we applied for a passport for him to go to Egypt). Maybe your domestic help have ration cards but please don't project your limited experience onto everyone else, that hardly makes for a valid argument.
Not to mention the authenticity of people's ration cards, voter's IDs, driving licenses, birth certificates, transcripts, transfer certificates, etc. That's a whole can of worms in itself.
It appears that you're afraid that our government will bungle up the whole initiative. Well, that of course is common in India and a risk with almost any initiative. Still, that's not a reason to not take initiatives in the first place.