UIDAI: Connecting with a billion…….Preeti Mehra Pillai
To communicate to a diverse population of over a billion people is serious business. Even more serious if it involves a message that could be read either way by citizens as a key that will open many doors of opportunity or an intrusion that will interfere with one’s privacy and autonomy. It is here that the challenge lies for the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to communicate the benefits of Aadhaar, as the Unique ID is now christened, and dispel the fears.
Last week, the report handed over to Mr Nandan Nilekani, Chairperson of UIDAI, by the Government-constituted Awareness and Communication Strategy Advisory Council (ACSAC) spelt out how the UID concept could be disseminated among the country’s population.
What makes the exercise more interesting, though difficult, is the distinctive nature of Aadhaar’s mandate. For one, it is voluntary, requires no existing documentation, does not replace other IDs and does not establish citizenship. However, having said that, what it does is establish an identity for every resident that can be used to gain access to such vital services as bank account, passport, ration card, and NREGA work card, among others. For this it needs the individual to part with demographic and biometric information.
Daunting task
On the technology front, collecting and feeding data from 1.2 billion people into the system, ensuring biometric de-duplication (a person’s biometrics, such as fingerprints, iris, etc., are checked against every other of the hundreds of millions of records to make sure they are unique) no doubt constitutes a tough task, but with India’s track record in software, it is indeed possible.
Even more challenging is getting the entire population to embrace such an ID, especially when it is not mandatory.
Generating demand for such a product that is not tangible and can make people feel vulnerable needs some very special handling, so that the messages that go out represent the aspirations of residents and are eagerly lapped up.
More important, the Authority would have to communicate to the population that Aadhaar can free them of the middlemen or middle agencies and help them directly access benefits such as pre- and post-natal care, schooling for their children, access to NREGA jobs and also funds.
ACSAC does have a galaxy of senior industry professionals such as Mr Kiran Khalap (co-founder and MD, chlorophyll); Mr Santosh Desai (CEO, Future Brands); Mr Sumeet Vohra (Head, Marketing, P&G (NYSE:PG) ), among others, who are in a good position to determine the multi-pronged campaign. Their proposals in the report too are well-thought-out in terms of target audience, reach, messages and channels of communication.
Though the media mix that will be used is still being worked out, the report recommends an amalgamation of broadcast, outdoors, entertainment, inter-personal and the UDAI support structure. Where the most innovation will be needed is in what the report refers to as the media dark areas in the remote corners of the country.
Awareness campaign
Here, apart from using the state machinery such as the post offices and the public distribution system, it recommends the use of influencers’, such as registrars and enrolment agencies, comprising self-help groups, school-teachers, gram pradhans, anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, and members of co-operatives, who can communicate the cause to groups of people, and educate them on the uses such an ID can be put to.
The influencers will have to be reached in a cascading chain, from national to State to district to village level, the report suggests.
Further, with the country’s polio campaign as a parallel, the Aadhaar logo too could be made extremely visible on panchayat buildings, post-offices, railway stations, haats, festivals and other events. Also, the use of dance and drama, street-plays and chitraahar tents has been recommended to create a kind of excitement around the concept.
The UIDAI may also seek the help of large private sector players such as Hindustan Unilever (NYSE:UL) , which has achieved a substantial penetration in the rural market, with its products present in around eight million outlets in the country. Other companies too may be tapped for the purpose.
The strategy seems sound, but what must be kept in mind at every juncture is the Indian mindset, which responds best to simplicity and catchy songs. The jingle should be such that it resonates with positivity through the countryside and can be put to many uses. For instance, if it could turn into a marching tune in village schools, become a popular mobile ring-tone, be used before announcements at melas and festivals, and played at local paan and kirana shops, its influence would stretch many more miles.
Similarly, if Aadhar visuals are in animation and are instilled with a fun element, including a spot of humour, they may appeal much more than the usual dry government take on its plethora of schemes.
For instance, Aadhaar could be portrayed as a key (literally, as everyone uses one, be it in a slum, a hamlet or an urban dwelling) that opens a series of doors. Of course, it is for the experts to figure out the campaigns, but the challenge is daunting and, in this case, it is imagination and commitment that can make or break the campaign after all, the UIDAI needs to address over a billion.