Centre to issue national identity card to all citizens

New Delhi, May 9 (UNI) In an effort to put in place a credible individual identification system to take care of the emerging security concerns, the Centre today proposed to issue a ''National Identity Card'' to all the citizens in the country.

Home Ministry sources said the multi-purpose card is designed as a smart card having a microprocessor chip.

The card is also aimed at helping the e-governance by improving the citizen-Government interface.

''This is a secure card,'' sources said, adding that it is being introduced on the basis of the recommendations of the Technical Committee constituted by Government of India having representatives from National Informatics Centre (NIC), IIT Kanpur, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Indian Telephone Industries Limited (ITI) and Electronics Corporation India Limited (ECIL) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) etc.

A pilot project has been implemented on an experimental basis in select sub-districts of 12 states and one Union territory, keeping in view the complexities involved.

''The scheme will be implemented in the entire country after taking into account the experiences gained and lessons learnt from the pilot project,'' sources added.

The production and distribution of identity cards in states covered under the pilot project would be completed by July this year.

A sum of Rs 44.36 crore has been sanctioned for the pilot project.

UNI