But over the years, it has morphed from a welfare delivery tool to a near-necessity for everyday life in India. Children, upon reaching adulthood, can now opt out of the program, should they no longer need welfare services from the state, the court said. As the government’s program expanded, the retired judge’s original petition swelled into a movement centered around privacy, security and denials of welfare entitlements due to authentication problems. Trillions of rupees were allocated by the government for the welfare program, and more than half the money never reached beneficiaries, Attorney General K.K. Though the program will continue, Apar Gupta, a lawyer for the petitioners, said the verdict was an “incremental victory” for privacy activists.

Source: Washington Post September 26, 2018 09:09 UTC