"investing in secure payments infrastructure can significantly enhance “state capacity” to implement welfare programs in developing countries. [..] the Indian biometric smartcard initiative remains under-discussed and underappreciated. It is actually one of the greatest achievements of contemporary times, based upon the innovative mobilization of the labor of millions [..] I do worry about the privacy implications of the technology and the data collection, but as it stands today so many Indians don’t have that much privacy in any case."














