While scrapping Aadhar is an option, it would be better to consider options whereby the Aadhar infrastructure can be put to better use.
During the Vajpayee regime the idea was to use the Aadhar as a “Citizen ID Card”. This idea needs to be explored even now. Since projects like national Health Assurance etc need to be dove tailed to Citizenship of India, we still need a Citizenship ID.
For this purpose a modifed Aadhar scheme needs to be implemented where the current IDs are augmented with a Citizen ID. For this all Aadhar holders may be asked to apply for linking their aadhar to a citizenship proof such as the passport. This will create two classes of Aadhar namely the “Ordinary Aadhar”, “Citizen Aadhar”.
This can be further linked to the PAN card so that “Tax Payer-Citizen of India Aadhar” may be another class of Aadhar.
These different classes can be called “Bronze”, Silver” and “Gold” types of Aadhar.
This will help people feel proud to upgrade their current “Bronze Aadhar” to “Silver Aadhar” and “Gold Aadhar”.
We can retain the option of issuing a “Platinum Aadhar” to citizens based on their contribution to the nation over a period of time.
Naavi
