The Ministry of Civil Aviation and Income Tax Department clarify that Digi Yatra data is not shared for tracking tax evaders.
December 31, 2024: The Government of India has firmly denied allegations suggesting that Digi Yatra passenger data is being shared with tax authorities to track and identify tax evaders. The clarification follows a media report claiming that data from the Digi Yatra application was being cross-referenced with income tax filings to detect inconsistencies in declared incomes.
Government’s Official Clarification
In response, the Ministry of Civil Aviation issued a statement on its official X handle, calling the report “unfounded and inaccurate.” The ministry emphasised:
- No passenger data from Digi Yatra is shared with Indian tax authorities.
- The application follows a Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) model, ensuring that Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and travel credentials are stored only on the user’s device and not on any centralized database.
- Data is automatically purged from airport systems within 24 hours of a flight’s departure.
Additionally, the ministry highlighted that Digi Yatra is exclusively for domestic passengers and does not extend to international travellers.
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The Ministry of Civil Aviation hereby clarifies that the recent media report concerning Digi Yatra is based on unfounded and inaccurate claims.
— MoCA_GoI (@MoCA_GoI) December 30, 2024
There is no sharing of Digi Yatra passengers data with Indian tax authorities. The Digi Yatra app follows the Self-Sovereign Identity…
Income Tax Department’s Response
The Income Tax Department also issued a statement refuting the claims, stating they have no access to Digi Yatra data and are not using it for any investigative purposes.
It is seen that news articles have appeared stating that Digiyatra data will be used to crack down on tax evaders.
— Income Tax India (@IncomeTaxIndia) December 30, 2024
In this connection it is clarified that as on date there is no such move by the @IncomeTaxIndia department.@nsitharamanoffc@officeofPCM@FinMinIndia@PIB_India
About Digi Yatra
Launched with the aim of seamless and contactless passenger movement, Digi Yatra is based on Facial Recognition Technology (FRT). The app allows passengers to pass through multiple airport checkpoints without physical documents.
- Data encryption ensures privacy and security.
- Passenger credentials are validated through Aadhaar verification and a self-image capture.
- Once credentials are validated, boarding passes are scanned and encrypted information is shared with airport systems.
Ensuring Data Privacy
The Ministry reiterated that passengers have complete control over their data, and if a user uninstalls the Digi Yatra app, all associated data is permanently deleted from the device.
Public Assurance
Both the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Income Tax Department urged citizens not to believe in misinformation and reiterated their commitment to data privacy and security for all Digi Yatra users.
Tags:
Digi Yatra, Tax Evasion, Government Clarification, Data Privacy, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Income Tax Department, Passenger Security, Facial Recognition Technology, Digital Travel, Data Protection.
