Aadhar Bill passed in Lok Sabha

Thiruvananthapuram: The Lok Sabha on Friday passed the Aadhar Bill with voice vote. The Bill seeks to make use of aadhar card compulsory for obtaining various subsidies and benefits from government.

The Congress demanded that the Bill should be referred to the standing committee of the House. It said that though the party was not opposed to the Bill, it needed further scrutiny because there are certain differences between the old and new Bill.

Congress members also noted that the Bill was introduced as a money Bill in the Lok Sabha because the NDA lacked majority in the Rajya Sabha to pass the Bill. However, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley maintained that it had become a money Bill because provisions of to link aadhar to subsidies and other benefits had been incorporated in the Bill. The Bill had provisions to protect the privacy of personal data. Biometric information would be kept confidential. (Money Bill need not be passed by Rajya Sabha for it to become law).

The Opposition created noisy scenes in the House over environmental damage caused by World Cultural Festival being held on the flood plains of Yamuna and businessman Vijay Mallya leaving the country. Gulam Nabi Azad (Cong) said that the government had aided him though he had defaulted repayment of loans to banks in the country.  Though the CBI had asked the Emigration Department not to allow him to leave the country, the government had intervened in November last year to lift the ban.