The Centre earned over Rs 100 crore by providing access to Vahan and Sarthi databases to private companies, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari informed Parliament on Thursday, February 11.
"The revenue collected by the Government by providing access to VAHAN and SARATHI database is Rs 1,11,38,79,757," the minister said in a written reply to Lok Sabha.
The data has been shared with the home ministry, law enforcement agencies, and insurance, auto, and freight companies.
Also Read: Nitin Gadkari hopes to reduce road accidents, deaths 50% before 2025
The list of entities with which the two databases have been shared comprises Mercedes Benz, BMW, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, Axis Bank, L&T Financial Services among others.
However, the transport ministry has scrapped the bulk data sharing policy issued in 2019 which enabled it to share the VAHAN and SARATHI databases, which include particulars of driving licenses and registered vehicles in the country.
The ministry had in June last year discarded the policy, citing possible misuse of personal data and privacy concerns.
Also Read: Centre aims to increase MSMEs' share in GDP to 40%: Nitin Gadkari
Further responding to another question whether the government would propose to demand the deletion of such data collated by private players, Gadkari answered that "no such proposal was under consideration."
Companies under the bulk data sharing policy could procure the data for one calendar year at any time.