New Delhi, March 18 (IANS). Aadhaar card has emerged as the world’s largest biometric identification system, with approximately 134 crore active users and more than 17,000 crore authentication transactions completed so far. This information was given by Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasad.
The Aadhaar system operated by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) plays an important role in enabling identity verification for service delivery, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasad said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
He said UIDAI provides Aadhaar authentication services to authorized entities, whereby an individual’s identity can be verified using biometrics or demographic details such as one-time password (OTP), fingerprints, iris and face.
He further said that the Aadhaar-based face authentication system, used by authorized entities, is powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies to enable accurate verification.
According to the minister, entities wishing to utilize Aadhaar authentication services are required to be registered as Authentication User Agencies (AUAs) or KYC User Agencies (KUAs) in accordance with the provisions of the Aadhaar Act.
Regarding access to data and keeping it secure, Jitin Prasad said that authentication logs are kept by AUA and KUA for two years and Aadhaar holders can use them for grievance redressal. These logs are stored for five years before being subsequently deleted.
He also said that the Aadhaar system has been designed with strong privacy safeguards, with demographic data encrypted both at rest and in transport, with legal restrictions imposed on its collection, storage and use.
The Minister also highlighted that UIDAI follows a three-tier audit framework including self-compliance audit, annual information security audit and Governance, Risk, Compliance and Privacy (GRCP) audit to ensure the integrity of the system.
Additionally, detailed standard operating procedures mandate informed consent of users, restricted use of authentication for specific purposes, secure data storage, use of authenticated devices and restrictions on retention of biometric data by entities.
The government said Aadhaar data is stored and processed within India only, and safeguards are in place to prevent any violation of these provisions.
–IANS
ASH/DKP