58 -  Wed, 19 May 2010

Hi Rajaram / Rambo:

I have to go with you guys on this.

As I indicated earlier, the government could just expand the PAN system to cover all people irrespective of whether they pay taxes or not, similar to the SS/SIN cards of US/Canada.

The UID will be (or evolve into) a corrupt scheme, and the original intent will never be fulfilled. Reason: Whatever the Babus and politicians touch, WILL get corrupt.

Another reason I am opposed to this scam is that the technology will be misused to create a dossier dictatorship, the precise reason why it was abandoned in the USA, Canada and other democracies. Yes, most Indians and Chinese misuse techology, and they just cannot handle it (not mature enough). Example: the ultrasound machine that detects the sex of the fetus has been misused by both 'great civilizations' to perform selective abortion of female fetuses, a barbaric practice.

If the cost figures you quote are real, it will be a criminal waste of scarce resources. These funds could be used to improve the Maoist-infested regions of India that have been criminally neglected over the decades. Reason: Tribals and lower caste folks live there!

Ved Vedamanikam, IITM
Austin, TX