Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to carry all your important documents with you, wherever you go, without the fear of losing them? Thanks to the DigiLocker, this is now possible.
What is the Digi Locker?
DigiLocker is essentially a digital locker provided by the Government of India’s Digital India Drive. It is meant to be a platform wherein you can store all your documents digitally on the cloud. Linked to your Aadhaar and cellphone number, the DigiLocker can be used to upload scanned copies of your documents such as licenses, birth certificates, investment proofs and related documents etc. You can also e-Sign/self-attest the documents you store online.
Currently the organizations that accept and use the DigiLocker include the UIDAI, the Income Tax Department, certain school boards like the CBSE, most state and central government ministries as well as the road transport and highways ministry.
A latest statistic shows that 1.35 crore individuals are already using the DigiLocker for storing there PAN cards, mark-sheets, caste certificates, birth certificates, ration cards, etc.
Benefits of the DigiLocker
Access Wherever You Are
Carrying physical copies of documents has become a thing of the past with the DigiLocker. Documents uploaded here, can be accessed anytime, anywhere and on-the-go. Thus, next time you don’t have to bother about driving license if you lose your wallet or getting caught by the traffic police without having the license in your wallet
Benefits of Cloud Storage Without the Hassel
Cloud storage is a wonderful thing. However, most cloud storage needs to be bought. With the DigiLocker you get to benefit from the cloud’s immense storage facility, courtesy the government. Also, since all the government documents will be uploaded digitally at the government’s end, you are only left to physically scan your personal documents. Additionally, the DigiLocker comes with a hallmark of security as it is a government entity. So you don’t have to bother about your account being hacked
Fraud Reduction
Financial frauds have become very common in today’s age. Important documents get compromised at various stages of their journey. Digitization of documents brings down the risk of fraud by a margin. With the DigiLocker, you can now share your documents with the concerned parties in a safe and secure manner. However, do not share the details of your DigiLocker with anyone, just as you wouldn’t share your ATM pin or CVV number with others.
Faster Turn Around Time
The traditional method of applying for government facilities/documents takes its due course of time. However, if you were to go about the same process digitally, things are bound to happen far quicker. For example, if you were to apply for a PAN card online, you can e-Sign the documents needed for the same through the DigiLocker and send them forward, as opposed to having to run around with the physical copies and xeroxes. The documents will be received by the Income Tax Department in no time, and your PAN card will be issued thereafter. Same goes for other documents and facilities registered with the DigiLocker.
While the DigiLocker is currently in its BETA testing phase, the feedback so far has largely been positive, with a huge number of individuals already making use of it. It has many benefits, convenience being at forefront. The DigiLocker is available as a desktop and mobile app version, and has 10MB of cloud storage that is soon going to be increased to 1GB.
