Use of technology in reducing corruption

Corruption in public service always has been a sore in delivery system of services to citizen more so in developing countries. India is no exception and there has always been thought that the services are not reaching to the desired citizens for whom it has been designed and gets siphoned in between. The use of modern internet banking with online transfer system coupled with Aadhar (a unique identification number based on biometric parameters launched by Government of India) has done wonders in disbursing the benefit to the last citizen of the country.

Aadhar was started by Government of India in year 2010 to provide unique identification number to all citizen based on finger print of all ten fingers and retina imprint. The total population is likely to be covered by 2016 with few states almost completing the target. Citizens have been empowered to link this unique no. to their bank accounts very similar to social security no. in USA. Once the bank account has been mapped with the Aadhar number, the benefits can be transferred directly to one’s account. Government of India is transferring LPG subsidy (cooking gas subsidy) worth billions of rupees every month to the beneficiary account directly reaching to the person concerned. It has resulted in huge savings to the treasury and benefitted the concerned. Few states like Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh has started using the Aadhar number for transferring lot of other benefits like pensions, mid day meal, public distribution subsidy directly into the beneficiary account. The use of this simple and one aspect of Aadhar number has been a great success to be replicated in other areas. It is time to use more innovative technology and follow the two leading states across the country to achieve corruption free country.