Even as the Nandan Nilekani-led UIDAI grapples with the inter-ministerial tussle over its ambitious unique identity project,Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi today pinned his hopes on Aadhar (unique identity number) to resolve the delivery challenges highlighted by his father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. Addressing a gathering of people from Bundelkhand here today,Rahul said that his father had voiced his concern regarding only 15 paise reaching the intended beneficiaries from Rs one doled out from the Centre. He told the gathering,many of whom recounted tales of funds under the Bundelkhand package not reaching them,that UIDAI will resolve this as it would facilitate funds to reach directly to them. Have you all heard about UID?" Rahul asked the gathering,which feebly responded about Aadhar but could not connect with UID. With Aadhar evoking some response from the gathering,Rahul sought to explain them how it will subsume multiplicity of identity cards BPL card,ration card, job cards ,etc. into a single card that will facilitate direct dole transfer to them. Cant make Pak hand over terrorists to India: Blackwill The US was no longer in a position to exert pressure on Pakistan to hand over terrorists to India,admitted former US Ambassador to India Robert D Blackwill on Thursday. The US has less influence on Pakistan today than it had many years ago. In fact,the relationship between the US and Pakistan is at an all-time low now. especially since 9/11,the relationship has been so bad, Blackwill said at the sidelines of a seminar organised by Aspen Institute of India. He spoke on US and the Future of Pakistan at the seminar. Blackwill also said he did not foresee a Pakistan-US military conflict or a US military intervention in Pakistan in future. The US has no intention to repeat the tragic incident in which 28 Pakistani soldiers were killed. If there is any military intervention in Pakistan,that will be catastrophic for the region. I think both the countries will avoid a military confrontation. Blackwill,who has held several key positions in the State Department of the US government,said his country should drastically cut military aid to Pakistan if it did not stop aiding terror. .if the behaviour of Pakistani army does not change there should be substantial reduction in US military aid.
