Union Minister for Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan on Sunday said that the Centre will address all concerns related to privacy in response to a question about the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2018, which has been introduced in the Lok Sabha.

Vardhan, after inaugurating a new laboratory at the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics in Hyderabad, was asked if Aadhaar will be linked to DNA profiles. These profiles will be stored in data banks for aiding investigations in criminal cases. “I can only tell we will not leave unaddressed any concern related to privacy,” he said, according to Telangana Today.

Department of Biotechnology Secretary Renu Swarup said that the database will not be “permanent”. She added that the decision on linking Aadhaar will be taken only when the DNA Regulatory Board frames the rules for DNA profiling, The Times of India reported.

Vardhan said he hopes the bill, which was introduced in Parliament 10 days ago, will be passed in the winter session, The Hindu reported. He claimed that the bill had been delayed for 15 years because of “several bottlenecks” and because it “did not make progress during the United Progressive Alliance regime”.

In contrast, Vardhan asserted, the National Democratic Alliance government has got the bill “thoroughly scrutinised”. He said he was confident the government will be able to answer all questions related to the bill in Parliament.