The Home Ministry has a proposal to issue every adult resident in the country an identity card. The Government has decided to create a National Population Register (NPR) by collecting information on specific characteristics of all usual residents in the country.
The NPR would also have photographs, 10 finger prints and 2 IRIS prints of all usual residents who are of age 5 years and above. As per the approved procedure, NPR database would be sent to Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) for de-duplication and generation of Aadhaar Number. Financial proposals for issuance of Resident Identity (smart) Card (RIC) under the NPR are under the consideration of Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC). The scheme has not yet been approved.
The mandate of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is to issue Unique Identity Numbers (Aadhaar) to all residents of the country and not a Card. The UIDAI is generating Aadhaar numbers and communicating it to the residents through a letter. UIDAI has informed Government that UIDAI is not issuing any card. However, it is learnt that the National Payment Corporation of India has tied up with the UIDAI for issue of ‘RuPay cards (Dhan Aadhaar cards) which serves as ATM/micro-ATM cards and about 250 such cards have been issued by Bank of India.
This was stated by Shri Jitendra Singh, Minister of State of Home Affairs in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.
