Neelkanth Mishra Appointed Part-Time Chairperson Of Aadhaar Agency UIDAI

Neelkanth Mishra's influence extends to economic policy discussions, having advised government committees and served on the economic advisory council to the 15th Finance Commission

Neelkanth Mishra, the chief economist of Axis Bank, has been appointed as the part-time chairperson of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), said a notification issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on Monday. The UIDAI is the nodal body in charge of issuing Aadhaar numbers. The composition of the UIDAI board encompasses a chairperson, two members serving on a part-time basis, and the CEO, who concurrently holds the position of member-secretary.

Neelkanth Mishra was previously associated with Credit Suisse, and is currently, the chief economist at Axis Bank. His extensive experience in economics, particularly in fields such as metals and mining, Indian pharmaceuticals, and technology strategy research, is expected to bolster the agency's operations, said a MoneyControl report. 

Mishra's influence extends to economic policy discussions, having advised government committees and served on the economic advisory council to the 15th finance commission, said the report. Adding that his analyses were among the earliest to identify the K-shaped post-Covid economic recovery, highlighting how consumption slumps primarily affected the highest income percentiles. He hailed the government's production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes and emphasised the importance of tax policy certainty and targeted subsidies.

A gold medalist in computer science from IIT-Kanpur, Mishra believes that India's digital progress will be a driving force for its growth amidst a global economic slowdown, said the report. He is currently evaluating proposals for the India Semiconductor Mission and has shared his insights at conferences, advocating clear leadership and business plans for new semiconductor manufacturing ventures.

Additionally, the government has also named Prof. Mausam, an associate professor in the computer science department at IIT Delhi, and Nilesh Shah, the managing director of Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Co., as part-time members of UIDAI. 

The term of the appointed chairperson and members will last for three years or until they reach the age of 65, whichever comes first, starting from the date they assume their respective offices.