The tribal belt of Nandurbar district in Maharashtra is the most favoured destination of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
Whether it was her first mammoth political rally in 1998 or launching a new project Aadhar (unique identity project), the malnourished district remains their chosen destination.
Even her late mother-in-law Indira Gandhi always returned to Nandurbar to begin her election campaign. Not surprisingly, prime minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi are reaching there on Wednesday to launch the project Aadhar, which will be simultaneously replicated across the country.
The village Temphali in Nandurbar district where the project will be inaugurated has undergone a massive makeover with state sanctioning Rs1.5 crore.
Highly-placed sources in the government said, “Within a short span of 15 days the entire village has been transformed, complete with new roads, electricity connections in every household. What is amusing is that a team of barbers from cities was flown to give a clean hair cut to the tribal children chosen to welcome the dignitaries. The tailors are working overtime to keep the date as they have to provide new clothes to the village children.”
The state information technology secretary Nitin Kareer and regional director deputy director general of Aadhar project Ajay Bhushan Pande said, “Tembhali with a population of 1,098 will become the first aadhar village in the country.” The UID project, which is headed by Nandan Nilekani, is aimed at documenting the profile of every individual across the nation. The UID programme is likely to complete in state by March 2012. The target for entire country is 2014.
The government has opened the counter to note down the details of the villagers who will receive the UID cards at the function.
The UID, which will have multiple uses in urban and rural areas, can be used for various government schemes.
The 12-digit number enrolled on UID will be mandatory for every citizen.
