3 rd International Conference on Big Data, Blockchain and Security | Copenhagen, Denmark 23-24 April 2022 Date of Submission: 18-12-2021 Date of Acceptance: 20-01-2022 A TECHNOLOGICAL APPROACH TO ADDRESS DEFICIENCIES IN UID (AADHAAR) Rishabh Garg Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology & Science, K.K. Birla Goa Campus, Sancoale, Goa - 403726, India rishabhgargdps@gmail.com ABSTRACT In order to provide an official identity to every citizen of India, the Department of Information Technology, had proposed an idea of biometric enabled unique identification number (UID). The system preserves the personally identifiable information (PII) of millions of users on a centralized government database, supported by some legacy software, with numerous SPOF (single points of failures). Such a centralized system, containing PII, acts like a honey pot to hackers. In a country where 2/3rd of the vulnerable citizens, do not have a bank account, but own a smartphone, echoes the possibility of a mobile based digital identity solution. The blockchain technology, by virtue of its key features like decentralization, persistency, anonymity and auditability, emerges as the most promising one amongst all. KEYWORDS Asynchronous Byzantine Fault Tolerance, Authentication, Blockchain, Channel, Cryptography, DApps, Data Portability, Decentralized Public Key Infrastructure (DPKI), DID, Ethereum, Hash function, Hashgraph, IAM framework, Identity Management System (IMS), Private Key, Public Key, Proof of Work algorithm, Revocation, SSI, Validation, Zero Knowledge Proof. 1. INTRODUCTION India is a Nation that has more than three dozen of IDs, certificates and licenses. At each level, one has to procure a series of documents, some of which require renewal, periodically [1], [2]. An average Indian has to carry at least 3-5 different documents and existing IDs, and they serve different and limited purpose only. As citizens are issued different identity proofs for different purposes, there is a lack of resemblance in citizen’s profile among different data repositories, thus causing inconsistency and recurrence [3]. The need of a single National ID for a large country, like India, becomes more crucial than for the many other countries that have already adopted such a system or intend to do so. Provision of multiple services to a large population by government and private organizations is a gigantic task and is strewed with many hurdles. A digital National ID would help in improved banking, investment services, health facilities and different public distribution schemes offered by the government [4]. A Digital ID will reinforce national and social security for citizens, and serve as an instrument for citizens to access multiple government and private services [5]. The quest for a single ID started in the year 1993 with the inception of Electors Photo Identity Card (popularly known as voter ID or EPIC), in the pretext to bring transparency in electoral process and to enable voter’s identification on Election Day. Until now, more than 450 million voters hold election identity cards across the country. Though, it serves as an identity tool and address proof to open a bank account; fetch a new gas connection; make an online reservation