Washington : Hailing India’s Aadhaar digital ID, the World Bank said the initiative is likely to save the government about $1 billion annually by curbing corruption as it underlined that digital technologies can promote inclusion, efficiency and innovation. “We estimate that this (Aadhaar digital ID) is saving approximately USD 1 billion (Rs 6500 crores) a year by reducing corruption and leakage for the Indian government. It is a help in fiscal budgeting. It is a help in providing other useful services,” World Bank Chief Economist Kaushik Basu said in a report.
Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India clarified that use of Aadhaar for delivery of direct benefit transfers from the government was “purely voluntary,” acknowledging the Supreme Court’s interim order on usage ofunique identification numbers. The Aadhaar formed the pillar most of the key recommendations made by a RBI committee, headed by Executive Director Deepak Mohanty.
