Indian authorities are collecting biometric data, comprising fingerprints, retinal and facial scans, of the country's 1.3 billion residents for the ambitious Aadhaar programme. Part of prime minister Narendra Modi's digital vision for the country, it enables citizens to access everything from food rations to mobile SIM cards using their universal, digital identity. The fourth attempt finally worked, and she has now been added to the 1.1 billion Indians already included in the program. The government has been criticised by privacy campaigners who say that such a massive database could be used in ways not envisaged under India's constitution.
Indian authorities are collecting biometric data, comprising fingerprints, retinal and facial scans, of the country's 1.3 billion residents for the ambitious Aadhaar programme. Part of prime minister Narendra Modi's digital vision for the country, it enables citizens to access everything from food rations to mobile SIM cards using their universal, digital identity. The government has been criticised by privacy campaigners who say that such a massive database could be used in ways not envisaged under India's constitution.