The Union of Soviet Indian Republics Is Rolling Out a National ID Card
June 28th, 2009Tens of millions of people who who can’t read or write (see: literacy in India) will need an identity card to get their government food handouts.
Yes, it has come to this.
Via: New York Times:
Policy makers see a national ID card as critical to improving the delivery of social services, subsidies and other government programs while also strengthening national security. The Indian government and outside observers have shown that the majority of aid earmarked for the poor does not reach them, and it is hard for the government to detect embezzlement and misuse of funds.
If administered properly, experts say a universal ID card could help ensure that most of the billions India and other organizations spend on aid reaches the people for whom it was intended. Today, Indians use a variety of documents to prove their identities, like state-issued driver’s licenses, ration cards used for food purchases at government-run stores and a tax identification card that is akin to the American Social Security card.
