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UIDAI signs MOUs with 3 state governments

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DQI Bureau
New Update

In the first phase, UID roll out will start for 3 states and UT Andaman and

Nicobar. The second phase covers another 6 major states including UP and

Maharastra. There is no clarity as far as the other states go, including the

capital

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Not many would be aware that UPA governments ambitious project was a

brainchild of AB Vajpayees NDA government. The project, however, was put on the

backburner for reasons unknown. But 26/11 changed all that and more. After the

attack, demands for issuing identity cards to valid Indian citizens gained

momentum in order to prevent a repetition of the terror attack.

The Unique Identification Database Authority of India (UIDAI) was therefore

established with the government sanctioning Rs 1,900 crore in the 2010-11

budget. In the 13th Finance Commission Report, it was proposed that an incentive

of Rs 100 per person (effectively Rs 400-500 per family) would be adequate for

incentivizing citizens below the poverty line to register for the UID. The

Finance Commission, therefore, recommended a grant of Rs 2,989.10 crore to be

given to the state governments.

The main aim of the Unique ID system was to eliminate duplicate identity for

improving the delivery of government services to the 1.2 bn residents.

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In line with the governments agenda to issue the first set of UID numbers by

the next year, the UIDAI has signed MoUs with three state governments: Madhya

Pradesh (which incidentally was the first state to have signed the MoU), Andhra

Pradesh, and Karnataka.

The role of the state government will be to work as registrars of UIDAI for

collecting biometric samples like thumb impression or cornea configuration of

each individual. The project will ensure transparency in all kinds of financial

transactions and financial inclusion even in the remotest corner.

In the first phase, UID roll out will start for 3 states and UT Andaman and

Nicobar. The second phase covers another 6 major states including UP and

Maharastra. There is no clarity as far as the other states go, including the

capital
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Status Quo



Even as Nandan Nilekani has been quoted in media reports saying that people

will start getting their UID numbers from February next year, the pilot project

for collection of biometric samples has already been rolled out in Andhra

Pradesh. Reports suggest the rolling out of the pilot project in other states

including Jharkhand, Bihar and New Delhi from later this year.

In Andhra Pradesh meanwhile, enrollment of biometric sample collection has

begun in eight districts in a Proof of Concept (PoC) exercise. Patancheru of

Medak district and Vijayawada urban were identified under the urban category.

The enrollment is being taken up as part of benchmarking the biometric standards

as part of the UID project.

The PoCs will evaluate the technical, operational and behavioral challenges

of enrolling biometrics of the residents. About 10 to 30 lakh residents would be

given Unique ID cards by enrolling their biometrics in the pilot project that

follows the PoC in the state.

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The UIDAI has chosen Hyderabad based 4G Identity Solutions for evaluating and

benchmarking the standards of biometrics, as well as for the whole enrolment

exercise.

Identifying the MoU Objective



While the state governments would like to improve upon the efficiency of the

delivery of government services (through correct identification of

beneficiaries), and to also put in place uniform standards and processes for the

verification and identification of beneficiaries; the role of UIDAI will be to

establish standards for enrollment which are to be uniformly followed by all

registrars. The UID numbers will only be issued by the agency after

verifying that the resident does not already have a record and a number in the

UID database apart from providing online, real-time authentication service.

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The ambitious UID project will be implemented in a phased manner with the

UIDAI responsible for conducting PoCs and undertaking pilot project for testing

the working of technology and process of enrollment.

Anantpurs UID Journey
UIDAI admits that NGOs will be a crucial link for them if they have to reach

to the last mile. Thus, the association is seeking active alliances with the

NGOs working in remote districts. Social Education and Development Society (SEDS)

is one such NGO. It works in the drought-prone area of Anantapur district in

Andhra Pradesh.

Sunny Ghosh, CEO, Wolf

Frameworks
Manil Joshua, CEO, SEDS along with

some of the women holding their UIDs

SEDS together with its IT partner, Wolf Frameworks, have rolled out proof

of concept UIDs to over 3 lakh inhabitants. We see how...

SEDS tied up with Wolf Frameworks, a cloud computing platform company,

that works on all opex and no capex model. The company is basically browser

based. For the UID PoC with SEDS, Wolf Frameworks built the primary database

on its own platform. According to Sunny Ghosh, CEO, Wolf Frameworks,

Although, we are an online platform company, in the case of SEDS, we built

the database ourselves because of the complexity involved.

Currently, this database is being used with select access by SEDS, but

Ghosh says that soon other agencies will hop onto the system. Also, as of

now, the database has enrolled some 3 lakh people and plans to touch the 5

lakh mark by this year end. The biometric details, which are not a part of

registrations now, will also be accommodated gradually.

Ghosh says, The whole application was done in less than Rs 2.5 lakh, and

that too was mostly on skill set expenditure. The recurring cost comes to

around Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 a month. Given, the remote location of the

project, the database can run even at the minimum bandwidth of 128Mbps.

The bandwidth will be a critical consideration for the rural UID

mission, explains Ghosh.

For rolling out the UID project, each of the three states on their part have

set up state level committees. The UID project will partner with state

governments and related agencies leveraging their existing infrastructure; the

agencies will be addressed as the registrars of UIDAI.

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Role of UIDAI, States



The MoU document clearly states that as the nodal body, UIDAI shall develop

and prescribe standards for recording data fields, data verification and

biometric fields in addition to prescribing the enrollment process including the

process for collection of biometric data and prescribing the criteria to be

fulfilled for an agency to be appointed as a registrar.

In addition, the UIDAI will also prescribe protocols for various activities;

right from transmission of data collected for de-duplication to protocols for

ensuring confidentiality and data security. The UIDAI would also be vested with

the power to conduct periodic audits for the registrar offices and enrollment

agencies.

To avoid duplication of data, the process of de-duplication of the resident

database will also be done on the basis of demographic and biometric data

collected. The UID numbers will only be issued to those whose uniqueness of

identity has been established and after ensuring that the person has not

enrolled in the UID database before.

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The UIDAI will also issue a letter of communication to the concerned resident

with the UID number after de-duplication has been done. It will also communicate

the UID number electronically in the prescribed format.

Establishing the authentication of the identity of a person with a UID number

as per the protocols will be done by UIDAI. As the core body for issuing UID

numbers, the protocols for record keeping and maintenance of information

collated for the issuance of the UID number will also be done by UIDAI. Even the

prescribed software that will be used for the enrollment in the UID database

will also have to be approved by the UIDAI.

UIDAIs Resources
UID Registrar Primary Access Additional Access Potential Overlap Effective Enrollment
  Crore Residents      
LPG (Oil PSU) 8.4 16.8 20% 20.2
LIC 13.5 13.5 50% 13.5
PAN Cards 4 - 75% 1
  6 - 80% 1.2
Urban Enrollment       35.9
Lic 3.5 3.5 90% 0.7
NREGA 10 20 10% 27
BPL Ration cards 7 21 60% 11.2
State BPL/APL     50% 30
Old Age Pensioners 15 45 70% 0.8
Women/ Child Welfare 1.5 1 70% 0.9
Social Welfare 1 2 70% 0.5
RSBY 1 2 70% 72
Rural Enrollment 0.5 1   107.9
Total Enrollment (Urban+Rural)        
Source- UIDAI        

And last but most importantly, UIDAI will also prescribe mechanisms for

grievance redressal.

The state government on its end will of course, collaborate with UIDAI in

conducting PoC studies and identifying registrars on the basis of the criteria

prescribed by UIDAI, and also ensure that the appointed registrars do everything

that is required to effectively complete the PoCs and pilot projects.

The state agencies will be responsible for putting in place an institutional

mechanism to oversee and monitor the UID project implementation, and monitor

specifically the registrars and enrolling agents.

Apart from providing logistics and liaison support to the staff and UIDAI

representatives on visits to the registrar office and enrolling agencies; the

state level committees will also have to collaborate with the deputy director

general of UIDAI to implement the project.

The committees will also work with the UIDAI to resolve on-ground

difficulties and conflicts pertaining to the project and follow the process set

out by UIDAI for conflict resolution. And most importantly, the state government

will be responsible for providing the required financial assistance and other

resources to registrars for carrying out the enrollment process as per the

phasing decided by the state.

The Registrars Role



The registrars, who are the state agencies working directly with UIDAI, will

be responsible for either doing the enrollment directly or through the

enrollement agencies which in turn will be identified and appointed by the

registrars.

The registrars will also have to follow the prescribed standards for data

fields, data verification and biometric fields and the enrollment process for

citizens including the process for collection of biometric cards issued. They

would also adhere to the processes put in place by UIDAI for data transmission

collected for de-duplication, follow protocols for record keeping and

maintenance, maintain the confidentiality and follow security protocols.

Registrars would also have to allow the UIDAI officials for undertaking

periodic audit of the enrollment process as well as inspect offices of both the

registrars and enrollment agencies. They have to also submit periodic reports of

enrollment to UIDAI.

The registrars have been permitted to collect any data in addition to what

has been prescribed by UIDAI for the purpose of rendering any service based on

the UID number. They would also have the option to charge fees for the UID

service, however, the fee charged cannot be higher than what has been allowed.

Stuti Das



With inputs from Mehak Chawla


stutid@cybermedia.co.in

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