[Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-42

[Taha Mehmood]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Multi-use_ID_cards_in_the_offing/articleshow/2573759.cms

Multi-use ID cards in the offing
27 Nov 2007, 0050 hrs IST, Mahendra Kumar Singh, TNN

NEW DELHI: The Centre is finalising a proposal to use
multi-application smart cards with unique IDs for citizens to check
largescale illegal
immigration and to better target and implement government schemes.

The proposal, under the consideration of an empowered group of
ministers (EGoM), sought to merge two schemes— Multi-Purpose National
Identity Card (MNIC) and Unique Identity Number Scheme (UID).

The home ministry's sche-me for ID cards — MNIC, laun-ched on a pilot
basis in border areas — is essentially meant to contain omnibus
information which would meet security concerns. The MNIC scheme aims
to check and establish the process for determination of citizenship
and preparation of National Register of Indian Citizens and National
Register of Residents. The Planning Commission has allocated Rs 500
crore for this purpose.

"The multi-purpose smart card will help in effective targeting of
subsidies and better monitoring of programmes and ensure that
fraudulent multiple claims are minimised. It will also help in
checking illegal migration in the border areas," said an official.

The need for a multi-purpose national identity card has been felt for
purposes as diverse as drawing benefits from government's flagship
schemes like NREGA, getting ration from PDS shops or meeting security
concerns.

The main purpose to issue integrated smart cards is to provide a
credible individual identification system to help in identifying
targeted beneficiaries and improving the security conditions, the
official said.

The Planning Commission has suggested introduction of Integrated Smart
Card System (ISCS) for major entitlement schemes to check corruption
and pilferage in implementation of government schemes.

According to the fresh proposal, ISCS will be based on the national
level unique ID being launched by the home ministry, using the unique
ID as the identifier to avoid duplication of benefits and check
corruption and fraud. The proposal suggests establishing a national
and state level regulatory authority — Unique Identification Card
(UID) Authority — which will be the custodian of the integrated smart
cards, under the IT ministry.

The authority, which will require initial cost of Rs 165 crore and
annual recurring expenditure of Rs 193 crore, will establish security
infrastructure to make the card tamper-proof. The authority will
ensure that smart cards are protected from unauthorised loading of
applications and only those applications which are approved by the
authority can be loaded on it.

mahendra.singh at timesgroup.com