Centre Denies Claims of Digi Yatra Data Being Used for Tax Investigations

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.

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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:

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• 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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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.

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.

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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.