5.10.15
The Case for Aadhaar
A bar on use of the Aadhaar platform can impede efforts to provide banking access to 60 crore rural Indians currently deprived of the facility due to lack of a nationally accepted unique identity and disrupt the success of UID-linked payment gateways in transacting a staggering Rs 192 billion through 565 million discreet transfers.
Aadhaar-linked services are not only vital for transparent and efficient online “anytime, anywhere“ verification system, but can be part of a cradle-to-grave system that dramatically improves access of the poor to services like purchase of SIM cards, security verification for employment and loans, besides faster and access to social schemes.
The UID platform relies on capture of minimalist data and its central depository is located in spatially distributed data centers within India secured physically and logistically by using security tools and monitored 24x7x365 to offer guarantees against theft or misuse by any official agency , criminal enterprises or rogue elements within the system.
The privacy concerns raised before the SC are being addressed by the UID authority's refusal to share bio metrics with anyone, including an enrolled member; laws overseeing Aadhaar users like banks, passport departments and the EC; and dispersal of data across unlinked servers with no common management.
Aadhaar's utility as an instant know-your-customer service is reducing time spent on verification and generating savings for agencies ranging from LPG companies to banks that have to maintain paper records and details. The number of rural employment guarantee transactions has crossed 16 million and those relating to cooking gas have touched 527 million.The UID is particularly relevant for poor migrants who find ration cards issued at their home addresses of little use in new locations.An Aadhaar ID removes this problem, allowing quick access to private and government services and consequently reduces the need for a local godfather for fake documentation, often at a cost. The use of the online system for purchasing SIM cards can potentially reduce a major security hazard -the use of documentation provided by one user for other illegal transactions.
The UID revolution has seen more than Rs.19,000 crore transacted through the Aadhaar payment bridge and its progress will eliminate proxy identity documents like driving licences, ration cards, certification by local authorities and other such means that are often not reliable. The Aadhaar system is geared to handle 100 million authentication requests a day and the model is easily scalable.
Aadhaar-linked services are not only vital for transparent and efficient online “anytime, anywhere“ verification system, but can be part of a cradle-to-grave system that dramatically improves access of the poor to services like purchase of SIM cards, security verification for employment and loans, besides faster and access to social schemes.
The UID platform relies on capture of minimalist data and its central depository is located in spatially distributed data centers within India secured physically and logistically by using security tools and monitored 24x7x365 to offer guarantees against theft or misuse by any official agency , criminal enterprises or rogue elements within the system.
The privacy concerns raised before the SC are being addressed by the UID authority's refusal to share bio metrics with anyone, including an enrolled member; laws overseeing Aadhaar users like banks, passport departments and the EC; and dispersal of data across unlinked servers with no common management.
Aadhaar's utility as an instant know-your-customer service is reducing time spent on verification and generating savings for agencies ranging from LPG companies to banks that have to maintain paper records and details. The number of rural employment guarantee transactions has crossed 16 million and those relating to cooking gas have touched 527 million.The UID is particularly relevant for poor migrants who find ration cards issued at their home addresses of little use in new locations.An Aadhaar ID removes this problem, allowing quick access to private and government services and consequently reduces the need for a local godfather for fake documentation, often at a cost. The use of the online system for purchasing SIM cards can potentially reduce a major security hazard -the use of documentation provided by one user for other illegal transactions.
The UID revolution has seen more than Rs.19,000 crore transacted through the Aadhaar payment bridge and its progress will eliminate proxy identity documents like driving licences, ration cards, certification by local authorities and other such means that are often not reliable. The Aadhaar system is geared to handle 100 million authentication requests a day and the model is easily scalable.
Playing Catch Up!
The Maharashtra state government wants to ramp up IT exports to bridge the gap with the country's leading software exporter, Karnataka. It has prepared a policy that promises several sops for IT and IT-enabled services (ITES) companies to set up shop in Maharashtra.
The state's annual IT exports are half its southern neighbour's. An official said Maharashtra's IT policy for 2015 offers an additional 100-200% FSI and space utilization to IT-ITES and AVGC (animation, visual effects, gaming and comics) parks, with a premium recovery of only 10-30%, subject to some conditions. The policy also offers 20-40% built-up area for support services in IT parks.Among the other sops are permission to set up integrated IT townships, adjustment in property tax of cost put in to develop roads and civic infrastructure, exemption in stamp duty of up to 100%, electricity duty exemption for the first 10-15 years, and relief in entertainment tax for animation film production.
Experts said the policy can attract investments of about Rs.50,000 crore and add Rs 1 lakh crore in exports for the state. IT expert Vijay Bhatkar said the state should have taken these steps 5-10 years ago, a little after the country's first IT park came up in Pune. “After the IT industry's inception in 1998, the growth rate of the software industry was 40-45%, which has now come down to 12-15%. Of course, recession, immigration problems and the economic crisis in Europe has affected business.“
After the introduction of IT parks in 2001, the state came up with a policy in 2003, wherein 253 IT parks with a built-up space of 3.90 million square metres obtained letters of intent to set up units. After six years, when another policy was introduced, nearly 212 parks with a built-up space of 8.93 million square metres came up in the state. The policies boosted Maharashtra's IT exports from Rs 5,508 crore (200203) to Rs.55,420 crore (2013-14), a growth of above 900%.
But these phases also coincided with massive expansions in Karnataka. Its IT exports, about Rs .12,500 crore in 2002-03, jumped 730% to reach over Rs.1.03 lakh crore by 2013-14.The latest policy is aimed at catching up with Karnataka and overtaking it as the country's IT leader.
4.10.15
Odisha gets its 1st 100% solar-powered village
October 2 marked a life-changing transition for the 350-odd dwellers of Baripatha, a tribal village 25 km southwest of Bhubaneswar. It made history by becoming the first village in the state to be entirely solar powered.
The Baripathamodel is low cost, low-maintenance and community-owned and hence different from other solar projects across India.
The Rs.7 lakh project, co-funded by ECCO Electronics (a solar products manufacturer) and Jakson Group (a diversified power solutions provider), has put individual solar units with two lamps in each of the village's 61 houses, along with a central one kilowatt unit that powers eight street lamps, and an TV along with set-top box for the community centre. “Till now, in all rural solar projects, central units would supply power to households. Often, the exposed cables would be tapped, and others would draw more than their shares. This would cause the central unit to overload and trip,“ says Jakson's executive vice-president Sandip Ghosh. By providing individual units to each household, these problems have been resolved.
The Baripathamodel is low cost, low-maintenance and community-owned and hence different from other solar projects across India.
The Rs.7 lakh project, co-funded by ECCO Electronics (a solar products manufacturer) and Jakson Group (a diversified power solutions provider), has put individual solar units with two lamps in each of the village's 61 houses, along with a central one kilowatt unit that powers eight street lamps, and an TV along with set-top box for the community centre. “Till now, in all rural solar projects, central units would supply power to households. Often, the exposed cables would be tapped, and others would draw more than their shares. This would cause the central unit to overload and trip,“ says Jakson's executive vice-president Sandip Ghosh. By providing individual units to each household, these problems have been resolved.
Mumbai Metro plans gather pace
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) plans to start work on two elevated metro routes--Dahisar to DN Nagar and Dahisar(E) to Andheri(E)--by January .
It will be the first time the MMRDA initiates construction of a project on its own, a decision taken to speed it up. The MMRDA has decided to construct the viaduct for these two lines, which will cost around Rs.3,000 crore, and plans to later utilise bank loans for rolling stock and station infrastructure.
The state government has suggested a bhoomipujan for both lines on October 11, besides a bhoomipujan for the Ambedkar Memorial at Indu Mills, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“More funds for the projects may come from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), World Bank or Asian Development Bank, all of which have offered low-interest loans for the two corridors,“ Mantralaya sources said.
Mantralaya sources said the loans would be used only for rolling stock and station infrastructure. Navi Mumbai is already building an elevated metro based on the same financial model.
Work orders are likely to be issued to contractors for the two lines in the next four months as the bidding process will start this month after cabinet approval.
There are also plans to start construction of the underground Colaba-Bandra-Airport-Seepz metro around January . Bhoomipujan for this route was held last August.
Three of this route's 27 stations will run below the airport. Bids for the same saw participation by 31 firms. The financial bid will be opened on October 5.
The detailed project report of another line between Kasarvadavali and Wadala, via Thane and Ghatkopar, that will cost Rs.25,000 crore, is also being prepared.
2.10.15
Rs.3,770 cr declared under govt's black money window
Undisclosed foreign assets amounting to Rs.3,770 crore were disclosed in 638 declarations before the one-time black money compliance window that closed on Wednesday. The ministry added that tax at the rate of 30 per cent and penalty at the rate of 30 per cent is to be paid by December 31, 2015.
The amount is much less than the claims made by Narendra Modi before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections the issue helped BJP return to power and during his Independent day address to the nation this year.
The amount is much less than the claims made by Narendra Modi before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections the issue helped BJP return to power and during his Independent day address to the nation this year.
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