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Since then, CARE and other NGOs, including Plan International, Oxfam US, Catholic Relief Services and the Aga Khan Foundation, have promoted village savings associations. The schemes are so successful that savings groups now have 4.6m members in 54 countries.

A village savings scheme involves a small group of 15-30 people who pool their savings. Each buys a share in a fund from which they can all borrow. All must also contribute a small sum to a social fund, which acts as micro-insurance. If a member suffers a sudden misfortune, they will receive a pay out. Returns on savings are extremely high, generally 20-30% a year. Borrowers typically pay interest rates of 5-10% a month on loans that usually have to be repaid within three months.

At the end of a cycle (usually about one year), all the money accumulated through savings and interest is shared out according to members’ contributions, and a new cycle starts. Once members have got used to the system, their groups can also perform other tasks, such as providing training in agriculture, health, leadership and business.

This unique identification project was initially conceived by the Planning Commission, a governmental organisation which promotes a rapid rise in the standard of living of Indians. The random number generated will not take into account caste, creed, religion or geography, and it is safe enough to eliminate fake identities in government and private databases.

The UID was launched in September 2010, and since then, more than 30m residents have enrolled. This biometric identity system will be used primarily for efficient delivery of welfare services, and it holds immense promise for the future, aiming to provide about 600m unique numbers by 2014.