[Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-97

[Taha Mehmood]

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=48169

ALL TYPES OF VESSELS TO BE REGISTERED UNDER A UNIFORM SYSTEM
	16:52 IST
The Cabinet Secretary today comprehensively reviewed/discussed issues
relating to coastal/maritime security and the follow up action taken
on the decisions arrived at in several meetings held at different
levels in the Government of India following the 26/11 incidents in
Mumbai. The meeting was attended by the Union Home Secretary, Deputy
National Security Advisers, Defence Secretary, Secretary Shipping,
Secretary, Fisheries, Secretary (Border Management), Secretary (West)
MEA, DG NIC, Dy. Chief of the Naval Staff, Registrar General of India,
DDG Coast Guard and other senior functionaries of Government of India.
The Home Secretaries and Secretaries (Fisheries) of nine coastal
States and four Union Territories viz. Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa,
Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal,
Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Andaman & Nicobar Islands
also participated in the meeting.

The meeting focussed on the implementation aspects and progress
vis-a-vis the entire range of issues relating to maritime/coastal
security which, inter-alia, included the Coastal Security Scheme,
uniform system for registration for fishing and other vessels, uniform
system of issuance of Multipurpose National ID cards (MNIC) to
fishermen, issuance of Identity Cards to the population living in the
coastal villages, installation of navigational and communication
equipments on the fishing vessels. The review of the initiatives in
respect of coastal/maritime security has enabled further streamlining
of the implementation time-lines and in resolving cross-cutting
issues/problems.

There was a broad agreement about putting in place a uniform system of
registration of all types of vessels for which Department of Shipping
was assigned the nodal responsibility to streamline the process,
including the legal aspect, in consultation with coastal States/Union
Territories and M/o Law. The need for installation of navigational and
communication equipments on the boats for tracking their movement was
emphasised and it was decided that Nautical Advisor will work out the
technical details of such equipment in consultation with Coast Guard,
National Informatics Centre and ISRO.

As a part of coastal security measure, there was consensus in the
meeting regarding the issue of application based Identity Cards to the
fishermen and issuance of Multipurpose National Identity Cards to the
population of the coastal villages. It was, inter-alia, also decided
to constitute a group to look into the issue of inter-operability of
two types of ID cards.