Patil rules out bringing more states under MNIC project

New Delhi, Mar 7: Home Minister Shivraj Patil today ruled out bringing more states into the fold of the pilot project relating to Multipurpose National Identity Cards (MNIS) under implementation in 12 states and one Union territory, and said its replication in the entire country would depend on the success of the project under operation.

Mr Patil told Lok Sabha during question hour that districts selected for the project in these states were those which were adjoining the neigbouring countries and where the registration facilites for recording births and deaths was satisfactory.

Excluding Assam, the verification work relating to citizenship status was 59 per cent complete and after its full completion voters would be issued identity cards.

The baseline survey of population involved, including the integration of photographs and finger biometrics, has been completed.

The physical infrastructure facilities and manpower required at each MNIC centre was in place.

Mr Patil said the ultimate objective was to provide all voters a National Identity Card.

The Minister said providing identity cards to more than 100 crore population was a tedious task and the expenditure involved would be to the tune of Rs 15,000 crore.

It was, therefore, difficult to give a time frame as to when the project would be implemented countrywide.

The preparation of the National Register of Citizens would begin with the decision on the national roll-out of the pilot project, he said.

The pilot project was under implementation in the following selected sub-districts of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttranchal, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, and the union territory of Pondicherry.

UNI