Not just UID

I have seen people getting excited when they get a good quality database of
50 CEOs or 100 school principals, or 2,000 hospitals. One can sell them credit
cards, houses, cars, software and every other thing possible. Just imagine what
you can get your hands on a very accurate database of 1.1 billion people, with
their name, address, religion, sex, and so on. The Unique ID project could
transform the fortune of the Indian ICT industry. I believe that imagination
will be the only limitation.

If and when the UID project is successfully completed, a lot of dreams could
actually begin to become a reality. Slogans and terminologies have never really
been very successful, but we have been hearing them for years. Such as, bridging
the divide between the haves and have-nots; bridging the digital divide;
sustainable growth; justice for all; education for all; food for all; right to
information-could possibly become a reality.

But, there is a word of caution. A lot has been recently said and written
about how the UID project under the leadership of Nandan Nilekani could turn
India around. It sounds like India will become a rich country once this magical
database is there.

UID is great, but it will have to be backed with several other initiatives.
The whole range of e-governance projects that will possibly connect the citizen
to the world (including businesses, education, banking, healthcare), thanks to
the UID number, will need to be off the ground as quickly as possible. As of now
there are 27 largescale 'mission mode' e-gov projects in the pipeline, only four
in operation. These projects have faced various hurdles-technology confusion,
project driver scarcity, failure of PPP models, too much govt control,
procurement systems, to name a few.

Over $5 billion will be spent on these projects, according to experts. But
these projects will have to take off quickly, otherwise the UID that Nilekani is
creating will just be an un-utilized database. And we all know how quickly
databases become old and outdated.

So far, the Indian IT industry (which was primarily exports based) and IT
deployment in the domestic market has run on an auto mode-without much
government intervention, either positive or negative. But now is the time for
the government to really step in. It is said that per capita IT investment in
India is about $1, compared to $150 in the UK, for instance. The Government of
India has to ensure that a conducive environment is created for higher and
faster IT deployment, that touches the lives of all the people who will be on
the UID database.

One must however not forget that UID is just an IT tool that will deliver on
the slogans and promises of the country's leaders and governments. Ultimately we
will require enough food to be produced for having food for all-we will need a
lot more doctors and hospitals, and we would need a lot more electricity or
other alternate form of energy to power computers, networks, and other consumer
devices. The government will have to focus big time on building the country's
infrastructure, if UID has to be leveraged.

Ibrahim ahmad

ibrahima@cybermedia.co.in