The New Oil- Aadhaar’s mixing of public risk and private profit by ARIA THAKER

Aadhaar was originally pitched as a way to eliminate identity fraud in the delivery of public benefits. Today, its application far exceeds that purpose. Nandan Nilekani, the technology billionaire who was the prime mover behind Aadhaar, has said that “data has become the new oil,” and that “if we can restructure data to benefit every individual and every business, then we can lead to enormous amount of activity and economic growth.” He has also said, “In the West, the identity business was privatised. That’s a much more unsafe model than when a government issues an ID.” But while Aadhaar is presented as a way to mobilise Indians’ data for the public good, the lines between those who run Aadhaar and those who profit from it are blurry. The Caravan -India's finest magazine of politics, culture and business. Since its relaunch in 2010, The Caravan has earned a reputation as one of South Asia's most sophisticated publications, a showcase of the region's finest writers, with a distinctive blend of masterful reporting, unique criticism and stunning photo essays.