NATIONAL IDENTITY CARDS
A proposal to issue
Multipurpose National Identity Cards (MNICs) to Indian citizens,
including the people residing in the border areas of the country
is receiving Government’s attention. These cards, apart from providing
a credible identification system, may have multifarious uses.
The issue of MNICs
would involve creation of an identification system for more than
one billion citizens, streamlining the existing machinery for
the registration of birth and deaths at the grass root level and
choices of institutional as well as technological options for
the creation of an integrated data base of personal identities
capable of being continuously updated. The Government would finalize
its decision only after an in-depth examination of all relevant
issues and after making necessary preparations, including the
legal backing to the scheme.
Issuing National
Identity Cards under the provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955
is one of the options available.
The issue of National
Identity Cards was discussed and endorsed in the conference of
Chief Ministers on Internal Security held on 17th November
2001.
The information was
given in the Lok Sabha by the Minister of State for Home Shri
Ch. Vidyasagar Rao in a written reply today.
