New Delhi. After Aadhaar and UPI, the Indian government is poised to take another significant step. A unique digital address ID is soon expected to be implemented for every citizen in the country. The aim is to integrate people's addresses into the digital public infrastructure, ensuring accurate and readily available address information on digital platforms.
Until now, India lacked a unified digital identity system for addresses. The government is now developing a new digital address system to significantly improve the efficiency of government services, online shopping, courier delivery, food delivery, and other similar functionalities.
Bill to be Introduced in Parliament
To implement this new system, the Department of Posts is developing a digital address system under the direct supervision of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). A draft version will soon be made available for public feedback. It is anticipated that the final version will be ready by the end of this year, with plans to introduce legislation during the winter session of Parliament.
This system will establish a new authority to oversee the digital address system and ensure that no one's address is shared with others without their consent.
Why is a Digital Address ID Necessary?
In today's world, accurate addresses are crucial for online shopping, food delivery, and courier services. Inaccurate or incomplete addresses frequently lead to delivery delays. Furthermore, companies sometimes share user address information without consent, raising privacy concerns.
According to a report, incorrect addresses cause losses of approximately ₹10-14 billion annually in India, representing about 0.5% of the GDP. A digital address ID will not only solve the problem of inaccurate addresses but also expedite logistics, courier services, and government services.
How will the Digital Address ID System Work?
The digital address ID will be a unique code assigned to each individual or household. It can be shared on any digital platform, but only with the user's permission, ensuring complete privacy.
The government is developing a standardized system that will establish a defined format for writing and sharing addresses. This will simplify address location and accelerate various delivery-related processes.
