|
·
Will obviate
need for multiple documentary proof ·
Facilitate
easy verification ·
Facilitate
easy availing of government or private services ·
Help welfare
programmes reach intended beneficiaries ·
Serve as
basis for e-governance services PRESS NOTE Department of Information Technology has issued
a Press Note as follows: An Empowered
Group of Ministers (EGOM) headed by the External Affairs Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherji,
approved the establishment of a Unique Identity Authority for all residents of
the country. The UID Authority will be set up under the Planning Commission. The
approval was accorded at a meeting of the EGOM held on Tuesday, 4th November, 2008. Union
Home Minister and Ministers for IT and Communications, Law and Panchayati Raj are members of the
EGOM while the Dy. Chairman, Planning Commission is
a standing invitee. Creation
of a person identity system in a country of over a billion people poses monumental
challenges. The approval by the EGOM lays the foundation for the implementation
of a Unique Identity system for all residents in the country based on a proposal
formulated by the Department of Information Technology at the request of the Planning
Commission. The proposed system envisages collaboration among several government
agencies backed by intensive use of information technology. There has
been a long felt need in the country for a system of unique identification of
every individual for a variety of purposes such as better targeting of government’s
development schemes, regulatory purposes (including taxation and licensing), security
purposes, banking and financial sector activities, etc. In the absence of such
a nationwide system, each sector of the economy or department/ agency of the government
adopts its own system of identification such as PAN card, ration card, Electoral
Photo Identity Card, credit cards, etc. Such specific purpose identities were
often found to have inherent limitations in accuracy and currency levels on account
of low frequency of usage. Moreover, the multiplicity of such systems renders
it impossible to correlate information across sectors and even across institutions
within the same sector for providing better services to people. Similarly, different
agencies of government are unable to correlate their data relating to any particular
individual. The Unique
Identity Project seeks to assign a unique identity (UID) number to each individual
in the country that would remain a permanent identifier right from birth to death
of the individual. From the point of view of any person in the country, the UID
offers many benefits. First and foremost, it would obviate the need for a person
to produce multiple documentary proofs of his identity for availing of any government
service, or private services like opening of a bank account, etc. This would end
needless harassment that people face for availing of basic government services
like issuance of passports, driving licences, Electoral Identity Cards, etc. Backed
by intensive use of technology, it would greatly facilitate easy verification
of a person’s identity and enable a single communication to trigger address changes
in all relevant agencies records. It would also serve as the basis for many e-governance
services incorporating online verification of a person’s identity. UID would enable
government to ensure that benefits under various welfare programmes reach the
intended beneficiaries, prevent cornering of benefits by a few people and minimize
frauds. It would enable financial institutions to exchange information regarding
defaulters and encourage responsible borrower behaviour. The scheme
envisages that at the inception, the UID number will be assigned to all voters
by building on current electoral roll data and progressively adding other persons
including persons below 18 years of age who are not a part of the voters list
in the country. Over a period of time, through failsafe procedures backed by intensive
use of technology and with the help of multiple government agencies, the currency
and comprehensiveness of the database will be perfected. The scheme is designed
to leverage intensive usage of the UID for multiple purposes to provide an efficient
and convenient mechanism to update information. Photographs and biometric data
will be added progressively to make the identification foolproof. Easy registration
and information change procedures are envisaged for the benefit of the people. The EGOM
also approved the modalities of collation of the UID scheme with the National
Population Register proposed to be created by the Home Ministry through the Registrar
General of the Census of India concurrently with the census 2011 in accordance
with the provisions of the Indian Citizenship Act. The UID
Authority approved by the EGOM will be responsible for creating and maintaining
the core database and to lay down all necessary procedures for issuance and usage
of UID including arrangements for collection, validation and authentication of
information, proper security of data, rules for sharing and access to information,
safeguards to ensure adequate protection of privacy and all aspects related to
all of these issues. Any agency, public or private, which deals with individuals
and incorporates the UID number of each such individual in its databases, will
be able to share information with other agencies which do likewise. While according
its approval to the establishment of the UID Authority, the EGOM also approved
the core staff required to immediately commence the groundwork of the UID Authority
at the Centre and States. The UID Authority will formulate a detailed proposal
covering the full cost of implementation and for the full contingent of staff
needed and place it before the Cabinet for its approval by the end of December,
2008. The UID is expected to become available to an initial set of users one year
thereafter, by early 2010. It is further expected
that usage of UID will be progressively extended to various government programmes
and regulatory agencies, as well as private sector agencies in the banking, financial
services, mobile telephony and other such areas. Over a period of time, the UID
is expected to become the single universal identification mechanism across all
institutions of the government and the private sector in the country. Department of Information Technology, Ministry of Communications &
IT PIB,
New Delhi: November 10, 2008 (Kartika
19, 1930) Akshay Rout/vk
|
Government approves issue of unique identity (UID) number
to all residents
