The total amount of subsidy transferred through Aadhaar now equals Rs 1,69,868 crore, said Jaitley.New Delhi:Terming Aadhaar as a "game changer", Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday said savings made through its implementation can fund three public welfare schemes of magnitude of Ayushman Bharat -- ambitious healthcare programme to provide free hospitalisation to millions of poor people.He also attributed successful implementation of Aadhaar to decisive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying Congress-led UPA remained "half-hearted" towards it because of its own contradictions and indecision.In a Facebook post titled 'Benefits of Aadhaar - where it stands today', Jaitley said its use in delivery of subsidies has helped saved Rs 90,000 crore in last few years till March 2018 by eliminating several duplicate, non-existent and fake beneficiaries.
The Digital Dividend Report prepared by World Bank estimates that India can save Rs 77,000 crore every year by use of Aadhaar, he said."The savings through Aadhaar can fund three schemes of size of Ayushman BharatAadhaar is a game changer," Jaitley said.
Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana aims to provide a coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family annually, benefiting more than 10.74 crore poor families for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation through a network of empanelled healthcare providers.Since its launch in September, nearly 7 lakh poor patients have been provided free hospital treatment.
Jaitley said UPA, because of its contradictions and indecision, remained half-hearted about Aadhaar.The total amount of subsidy transferred through Aadhaar now equals Rs 1,69,868 crore.
"With elimination of middlemen benefits go directly to bank accounts.
This is a unique technology implemented only in India.
The monies saved through Aadhaar is money fruitfully employed for poor elsewhere," Jaitley said.Since The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill was passed in 2016, in last 28 months over 122 crore Aadhaar numbers have been issued.
About 99 per cent of adult population of India above age of 18 stands covered.
He said 22.80 crore PAHAL and Ujjwala beneficiaries are given cooking gas subsidies through direct benefit transfer (DBT) in their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts.Jaitley said 58.24 crore ration card holders stand linked and 10.33 crore MGNREGA card holders get wage payment through DBT in their bank accounts.
So do 1.93 crore beneficiaries of national social assistance programme.
The Income Tax Department has already linked 21 crore PAN card holders with their Aadhaar numbers.
A total of 2,579 crore authentications have been undertaken till date.
Everyday, 2.7 crore authentications are done.
UIDAI has capacity of 10 crore transactions to be authenticated per day.In most schemes, direct benefit transfer takes place to beneficiaries' 63.52 crore bank accounts that had been linked with unique identity as on December 15, 2018.
The total number of subsidy transactions through Aadhaar are almost about 425 crore.
Jaitley said a senior minister in UPA government blocked idea of Unique Identity Number (UID) conceived by Nandan Nilekani and it was a "divided house".
"The Prime Minister was indecisive.
The enrolment continued, though at a very moderate pace," he said.
It was only a decisive Prime Minister Narendra Modi who decided to go ahead with idea of Aadhaar after formation of NDA government in May 2014, he added.The UPA legislation, Jaitley said, was inadequate as it did not contain adequate safeguards on privacy and did not mention for which purpose UID would be used.
"The NDA Government re-examined issue and legislation was completely changed.
The pith and substance of new law was that Government spends a large part of public resources in subsidising poor.
This subsidy became an indefinite amount which is given to an unidentified section of people."There are several cases of duplication and thus unique identity based on biometrics would eliminate these aberrations and relief would travel only to intended.
This was thrust of new law," he said.
Jaitley said Supreme Court upheld whole concept of unique identity and rejected challenge that it violated Right to Privacy.
"It held that Aadhaar meets concept of constitutional trust, limited government and good governance and empowers marginalised section of society.
It also introduced several safeguards to ensure that it is not misused.
The Judgement of Supreme Court added balance to concept of Aadhaar," Jaitley said.Two individuals deserve a special credit for Aadhaar, minister said.
"Shri Nandan Nilekani, who started it and Dr Ajay Bhushan Pandey, who subsequently provided it with direction and expansion.
He masterminded Government strategy to repel legal challenge," Jaitley added.