>how does a state go about providing services to its citizen if the state cannot identify citizens as its own and as unique entities.

A man comes to you and ask you for money. He says that he is hungry. In this case, you have two options.

1. You can give him the money. But you risk being scammed, because you cannot actually check that the man is actually hungry. If you give them money, there is no way to make sure that they did not buy liquor instead of food. This is what Aadhar is supposed to solve.

2. You can offer to buy him food (not a parcel or takeaway). In this case, there is no risk of being scammed.

I think governments should try to do 2, instead of strapping on things like Aadhar in the name of doing 1, as it has a lot of chance of misuse and is vastly less reliable than 2..

As a solid implementation, instead of providing rations for rice and fuel, to prepare food, what if governments can open hotels, where one can have a solid, healthy meal for real cheap, For any one and every one who bothers to show up?