New Delhi: The Cabinet is likely to take a final decision on Wednesday on whether or not to give statutory powers to the Nandan Nilekani led Unique Identification Authority's proposal. It seeks to expand the UID project in order to issue national identity cards to the entire population as opposed to the mandated 200 million people.
The government has to take a decision soon because it the UIDAI is likely to complete its mandate of enrolling 200 million residents even before the deadline of March 31.
The Planning Commission and the Home Ministry have been locked in a tussle over the UID project and earlier, both of them had taken the issue to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for a solution.
According to sources, the Finance Ministry is not opposed to the UIDAI proposal but it does not want the duplication of work.
However, Telecom and HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, sources said, is supporting the Home Ministry proposal to create a digital data base of the entire population which will be called the National Population Register (NPR).
At the centre of the controversy is the collection of bio-metric data of all residents. While the Home Ministry has maintained that the Registrar General of India (RGI) under it has been mandated to collect the data through the NPR, the Nandan Nilekani-led UIDAI has also been authorised to gather the information.
Home Minister P Chidambaram has sought clarity on the status on who will capture bio-metric data -- RGI or UIDAI. The Home Ministry feels the data collected by UIDAI was not secure as it is not verified by a government servant.
The data collection by UIDAI has been done by hired organisations which is a cause of concern for the Home Minister.
UIDAI has already enrolled 170 million residents. Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia has thrown his full weight behind the UIDAI saying the project should continue.
According to the Home Ministry proposal, chip-based smart cards will be issued to all residents on the basis of the record maintained by the NPR-- a digital database under construction.
On concerns over duplication of work and extra burden on exchequer, Ahulwalia had stated that the project is well worth it. The Commission wants more resources for the authority for continuation of its work.
With additional information from PTI
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