An Odia man was honoured by the Centre for devising an Aadhaar-based system for payments under different welfare schemes. The system is unique as it would do away with repetition of payments because fingerprint authentication of the beneficiary is mandatory.
Abhaya Hota of Sambalpur received the award from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a function in Rajasthan recently. Hota after a career in the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) became the managing director and chief executive officer of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). RBI had set up the NPCI, an umbrella institution, to clear and settle all inter-bank transactions in ATM transactions, mobile payments and card payments.
Under Hota’s leadership, NPCI devised the Aadhar-based system. “During the last two years Hota and his colleagues have been closely working with Nandan Nilekani and Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) in use of Aadhar number for making payments under various government schemes like MGNREGA, old-age pension and scholarships.
He received the award on the eve of second anniversary of UIDAI,” his brother Giridhari Hota said.
The award was instituted by UIDAI to encourage persons responsible for making Aadhaar useful in public service delivery. Besides Hota, five other persons from across the country were also honoured.
“I am proud of bringing laurels to Odisha,” Abhaya said. “My company is acting as a gateway to all types of Aadhaar-based payments…” he added.
