The Department of Posts on Friday announced a strategic partnership with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) for registration and distribution of unique identification (UID) cards to citizens.
The UIDAI will leverage the DoP national network for its unique identity project AADHAR. The two organisations will also collaborate to provide state-of-the-art biometric and identity authentication services.
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“The government sees UID as a critical initiative to achieve inclusive growth. We have an opportunity to use post offices for inclusive growth through this partnership. If we understand the road ahead, post offices will be the centre for empowering people. India Post has geared itself to undertaking this huge responsibility with due care and diligence. Delivery of AADHAR to each resident will be available for tracking and confirmation,” Communications and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said after the tie-up.
UIDAI Chairman Nandan Nilekani said: “This is not a tactical but strategic partnership, where we will leverage the existing infrastructure of the DoP to reach out to the masses for providing UID. All AADHAR-based applications would be accessible through post offices.”
The UIDAI floated a Request for Quotation (RFQ) to finalise the agency that would set up and manage infrastructure for registration and distribution of UID cards at post offices, Mr. Nilekani said.
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“The RFQ will be opened in the next couple of days, and then we will finalise agencies to set up and manage infrastructure across all 1.5 lakh post offices,” said UIDAI Director-General and Mission Director R.S. Sharma.
The new partnership will add to the infrastructure of the UIDAI, which has over 10 lakh enrolment centres in nine States. It has installed around 5,000 devices for collection of citizens' biometric impressions like fingerprints and retinal scanners. These devices could collectively enrol 2.5 lakh people a day, Mr. Sharma said.