[Reader-list] Multipurpose National Identity Card V/S Unified identity Document

[Taha Mehmood]

Dear all,

This is to let you know that earlier this year, the GOI was in a bit of fix
to decide whether to use two cards instead of one. The National Identity
Card debate in sarkari circles is picking steam, it seems!

Best

Taha


http://www.zeenews.com/Nation/2008-04-20/437785news.html
Parallel schemes for I-cards wastage of time: Panel

 New Delhi, April 20: Running two parallel schemes for issuing identity
cards to citizens amounts to "wastage of time and resources", a
Parliamentary panel has said and favoured merging the two into a single
integrated programme.

 A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs in its latest report
said: "Running two parallel schemes appears to be overlapping in objectives
and may be perceived as wastage of time and resource."

It said implementation of the pilot project for the Multipurpose National
Identity Cards (MNIC) has taken "unduly long time" and yet it was not known
how long it would take to complete the scheme in the entire country. "And,
on top of that another scheme has been launched," it said.

The MNIC Pilot Project is under implementation since 2003. The Committee,
headed by BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, in its 46-page report expressed its
"strong displeasure" on the adhocism adopted by the government.

The MNIC scheme was launched on pilot basis prior to the announcement of the
Unique Identification (UID) Scheme, the panel said, adding that the Planning
Commission should have obtained status as well as feedback on the MNIC
Scheme and then taken a decision on any other scheme, let alone UID. The
Committee recommended that the two schemes be reviewed by a Group of
Ministers, which should examine the feasibility of merging the two into a
"single integrated programme" so as to avoid overlapping of objectives and
likely wastage of resource and manpower.

"The government must ensure that such a programme should be made feasible
for implementation within a reasonable and strict time-frame," it noted.

Bureau Report