Two parallel run schemes of the Government, viz, the Aadhaar Card and NPR, one as voluntary and the other as compulsory, have led to debates at national levels and also litigations. On merits, discuss whether or not both schemes need run concurrently. Analyse the potential of the schemes to achieve developmental benefits and equitable growth.

Aadhaar, a voluntary identity number issued by the UIDAI since 2009 by executive order, and the compulsory National Population Register (NPR) under the Citizenship Rules, 2003 overlapped, provoking a Home Ministry and Planning Commission turf war and the Puttaswamy litigation of 2012.

Should Aadhaar and NPR Run Concurrently?

Aadhaar versus NPR a: Aadhaar b: NPR → Voluntary :: Compulsory → Executive order, 2009 :: Citizenship Act, s.14A → Any resident :: Usual residents → Identity for services :: Citizenship groundwork → Individual number :: Household register

1. Different purposes: Aadhaar proves identity but not citizenship, whereas NPR is the base for a citizens' register and security, as the coastal NPR after the 2008 Mumbai attacks showed. 2. Costly duplication: Collecting biometrics twice wastes money, which forced the Cabinet to split enrolment between the two in January 2012. 3. Balanced course: With Supreme Court interim orders (2013, 2014) barring denial of services for lacking Aadhaar, both should run with one data capture, NPR seeding Aadhaar numbers as its 2015 update did.