India will become the first country in the world to issue a unique identity number for each of its
residents from February 2011 which will allow an on-line verification, a top official said Wednesday.
"We will start issuing the unique number by February 2011," Nandan Nilekani, chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), said here at a talk organised in the Parliament House Library. He said that giving a unique number to each Indian was a big challenge as UIDAI will make sure that there is no duplication. The project estimated to cost around Rs.30,000 crore will cover the entire population of the country.
Nilekani said that biometrics will be used to prevent duplication and the authority will keep the same kind of information as is mentioned on voter I-card. "We want to keep minimal information," he said, adding that there will be no invasion of privacy.
He said the unique number will enable the UIDAI to verify identity of a citizen online and India will become the first country in the world to have such a system. "No other country has done it. It will be gateway to open up public services to the people." He said under the present system, verification process is being done over and over again.
Terming the project a "massively complex project," he said the authority will use state governments, banks, insurance companies and other such institutions as partners in enrolment. The unique number will not give any rights or entitlements but can be later used for the purposes of citizenship, he said.
"It is a voluntary number. Even infants will get it," he said, adding that identity of mother or guardian will be used alongside in case of children as biometrics are not fully developed in them.
Nilekani said the verification process will be kept pro-poor and inclusive.
"I think it is a very powerful and inclusive idea. It will help the poor have better access to public services and will be a great enabler for their financial inclusion.
The flagship welfare schemes of the government can be made more efficient," he said, adding that itwill help strengthen national security, reducing fraud and increasing tax collection.
Giving an illustration of the use of the unique number in banking sector, he said it can help people make money withdrawals easier virtually leading to an ATM in every village.
Nilekani, who took questions at the end of his talk, said the country should
formulate a comprehensive privacy law. The talk, organised by the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training of the Lok Sabha secretariat, was attended by several MPs and officials.
How the card can be multipurpose for us:
• Debit Card (Before transaction the person has to enter its last four digits of
virtual Debit cards)
• Credit Card (before transaction the person have to enter its last four digits of virtual cards)
• No need to keep foreign currency or Indian rupee in India.
• Bank Account opening, No need to file any paper just swap your and guarantor's card.
• In NREGA the contractor will file your card code in his register and you will get your payment in bank account.
• Employee just enter his/ her UID in the time of joining, his/ her all record will update with current employer.
• Just fill only your UID card no. in Online Tax returns; it will automatically deduct your tax after rebate (LIC, 80G, and Investment). Here no need to get refund and govt. can save thousands of cr. Rupees of interest.
• During the shopping in your area you have to swap your card and insert the pin for transactions. For this we have to reduce transition charges till 0.5%.
• This card will be our driving license. On this card a picture will be published of authorized driving vehicle. (White car for pvt., and yellow car for commercial).
• Our all the personal records like, height, finger prints and education will be feed on it.
• Card holder can cast his/ her vote any where in India through ATM or any
information kiyosk with the help of this card. (The person will enter its card in voting machine and soon all candidate lists will be available of his/ her locality in touch panel voting machine.
• No one cay buy or sell any property without UID card. Through it we can control the black money and confirm that how much property is belongs to the person. Govt. can provide subsidy to whom have not any flat or property and get extra tax who have already flat or property.
• Through this card govt. will deduct Electricity bill, Water bill, house tax or other bills itself. No need to go anywhere to submit your bill. (It should be applicable in A B and C category of Cities).
