The Union Home Ministry’s ambitious Resident Identity Card (RIC) project, already running late, has hit a fresh roadblock after being questioned about its efficacy to be used for multiple offline applications, for verification purposes plus cost factor.
The objections have been raised by the Unique Identity authority of India (UIDAI) and department of electronics and information and technology (DEIT).
The Nandan Nilekani-led UIDAI contends that online platform using Aadhaar number is better for smooth delivery of targeted schemes. Whereas, many government departments claim that in the Indian scenario where internet network is still not trustworthy, offline platform with the help of hand-held devices is a better bet.
A high powered expenditure finance committee (EFC) has constituted a committee under the director general of National Informatics Centre (NIC) Dr BK Gairola, to examine if the proposed RIC, primarily meant to serve as a security tool, can also be used as a platform for multiple usages like the delivery of targeted services like MNREGA, public distribution system, health insurance, other financial purposes and for election purposes.
Projecting RIC as the national identity card, the home ministry is seeking extension of the scheme in the rest of the country and has sought Rs6,790 crore to fund the programme. The RIC smart card uses a 64Kb chip that carries photographs, biometrics and data of a usual resident.
Informed sources said that the committee is expected to give its report in two months after which the EFC will sit for the third meeting and take a decision.
However, the MHA officials, after seeing the usage of similar card in Malaysia, are upbeat and are confident about its efficacy to be used as an offline card for prompt delivery of various schemes.
“When the 80Kb chip Malaysian card is being used for all kind of offline applications, we are sure that our 64Kb chip card can be used for at least 4-5 offline applications with the help of handheld devices. Moreover, for additional schemes software can easily be downloaded on the hand held devices that can be tailor made for each area,” an official told DNA.
