According to Times of India, the Microsoft co- founder Bill Gates backs Aadhaar and is a fan of its technology. Apart from being an immensely successful multi- billionaire businessman, Gates is also a well known and highly acclaimed philanthropist. His knowledge is not just limited to computers and consumer market but also in monitoring the conditions such as poverty, health issues which the various developing countries in the world are facing .The Gates Foundation helps the developing countries in matching pace with the developed nations. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, launched in 2000, has assets worth $38 billion. The Gates Foundation supports programs that reach 45 countries across the world with the aim of eradicating poverty, diseases and boosting the health and education standards. The Aadhar initiative of the Indian government has been closely monitored by Bill Gates and his foundation ever since its inception. According to Bill Gates and his team, the Aadhar initiative is a huge success in India. The formula of database administration of citizens is very useful, according to Gates. He praised the Aadhar initiative of PM Modi and has advised the World Bank to replicate this scheme in other countries as well.
Many neighboring countries of India have already approached the Indian government to ask for help in implementing Aadhaar in their respective nations. Talking about privacy issues related to Aadhaar card, Bill Gates said, “Aadhaar in itself doesn’t pose any privacy issue because it is just a bio ID verification scheme.” He affirmed that the chances of a data leak from Aadhar databases are minimal. However, he asserted that it is important for the people using Aadhar card to be careful when sharing their information with third parties. About the bank accounts being linked with Aadhar, he said, “In the case of the financial bank account I think it’s handled very well.” Applauding the move to link Aadhar with banks, “(It uses) Aadhaar to set up the accounts so that you can both get your cell phone and get your bank account (sic)”, he added.
Bill Gates also mentioned that he had approached Nandan Nilekani to ask for help in implementing and designing Aadhaar like modules in other nations. Nandan Nilekani is the founder of Infosys and the chief architect of the Aadhaar infrastructure in India. The World Bank has also been provided grants by the Bill Gates Foundation to emulate Aadhaar programmes in other nations. Aadhaar, according to Bill Gates, will help in education and in other areas of developing countries. Aadhaar process will make it easier for the countries to keep a track of its welfare policies. Furthermore, the digital identity based unique number will make it possible for the government to formulate better policies.
This ‘thumbs up’ from Bill Gates should be enough to quieten the people who have raised doubts about secrecy and risk of data breach from time to time. According to an article published in The Tribune with the title ‘Rs 500, 10 minutes, and you have access to a billion Aadhaar details’, that it is a very easy to get hold of the Aadhaar data. This alleged breach was a misuse of the grievance redressal search facility, and an FIR against the culprits has been filed. According to The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the only access the miscreants got was of demographic information, which cannot be misused. However, this did not deter the opposition from making a hue and cry on the privacy issue. Bill Gates and his positive comments about the Adhaar will finally do what PM Modi has been trying to do for long. Hopefully, Bill Gates’ statement will silence the opposition once and for all on the Aadhar.