Team Herald
PANJIM: NGO Savera has filed a complaint against Goa Electronics Limited (GEL) for alleged gross violations of Aadhaar Act, 2016 by leaking confidential data of women.
Addressing the media, Savera president Tara Kerkar said, “The department has leaked the Aadhaar numbers, including the beneficiaries of Laadli Laxmi Scheme, Griha Aadhaar Scheme and Krishi Card. The beneficiaries’ Aadhaar numbers, their addresses, bank account numbers, bank branches where these accounts are held were published on the website. Worse, the social grouping caste and tribal affiliation of thousands of beneficiaries is also mentioned on this website and the last five digits of the contact numbers.”
She added, “It has been noted that soon after the news appeared in the newspapers the department withdrew the information from the domain.”
Kerkar said that under the Aadhaar Act, publishing of the numbers of beneficiaries is illegal and that of the 2.50 lakh persons, 30,000 are beneficiaries of the Krishi Card and 2.30 lakh are women beneficiaries of social security schemes like Laadli Laxmi and Griha Aadhaar.
“Savera wants an inquiry into the matter and appropriate action taken so that the guilty are punished,” she said.
