Controversy Erupts as India Mandates Facial Recognition for Anganwadi Services

The Congress has criticized the Modi government's decision to mandate facial recognition for anganwadi beneficiaries, arguing it may exclude vulnerable groups from social welfare. The policy requires face recognition for ration distribution and child monitoring, sparking concerns of digital exclusion.

The Congress party has launched a scathing attack on the Modi government following the announcement by the Women and Child Development Ministry to implement mandatory facial recognition authentication for beneficiaries at anganwadi centers.

The opposition argues that this technology risks excluding the most vulnerable sections of society from accessing critical social welfare benefits. The initiative, introduced as part of the Digital India campaign, aims to streamline processes but has been labeled as discriminatory and exclusionary by critics.

The post asserted that previous attempts to integrate technology, like Aadhaar-based systems, have hindered access to entitlements, pointing to a significant decrease in beneficiaries under specific schemes. From July and August, face recognition will become compulsory for various services, prompting calls for more inclusive digital policies.

(With inputs from agencies.)