The Hindu : National identity cards for 13 States, Union Territories

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 07, 2002

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National identity cards for 13 States, Union Territories

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI SEPT. 6. National identity cards are to be introduced in select blocks in 13 States and Union Territories through a pilot project, the Union Home Ministry announced today. These are Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Uttaranchal, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Tripura, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Pondicherry and Delhi.

The Government had earlier commissioned a study into the feasibility of issuing an all-purpose National identity card, which was conducted by Tata Consultancy Services.

The identity cards plan has been part of the BJP's agenda since it came to power. It also found mention in the list of initiatives announced in the Prime Minister's Independence day speech this year.Thus the Government issued identity cards only to people who lived in border areas. Today's announcement follows a meeting between the Home Secretary, Kamal Pandey, and the chief secretaries of the identified States and Union Territories.

The meeting discussed issues relating to the modalities for implementing the pilot project. The idea of a pilot project is in order to evaluate the processes and technologies involved, as also take on board any shortcomings of the scheme before embarking on a nation-wide project.

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