12 lakh nulti-purpose national I-cards distributed: Minister

New Delhi, Oct 21 (UNI) Minister of State for Home Dr Shakeel Ahmad today said implementation of the pilot project on Multi-purpose National Identity Cards (MNIC) was successfully completed on March 31 with the distribution of more than 12 lakh identity (smart) cards to those of 18 years of age and above in the selected areas in 12 States and an Union Territory in the country.

A total of 20 MNIC Centres, one in each tehsil or block in the pilot areas, will remain functional till March 31 next year for maintenance and updating of database and issuing identity cards to those who would attain the age of 18 years during this period, he told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

There is a proposal to create the National Population Register (NPR) by collecting information on specified items of each resident alongwith the population enumeration at the time of next decennial Census in 2011.

The preparatory work for NPR has been initiated.

The Planning Commission has allocated Rs 300 crores for this in the Eleventh Plan.

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