Maha extends deadline for UID card by a year

Mumbai: Nearly one-and-ahalf years after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh launched the ambitious scheme to provide unique identity (UID) cards at Nandurbar in Maharashtra, the state government has extended its deadline to complete the programme by a year. 

    The government now aims to cover at least 80% of Maharashtra's population before March 31, 2013, as opposed to the earlier target of 100% enrollment by March 31, 2012. 
    At the end of the programme's first phase, the government registered around four crore users, delivering cards to nearly three crore. "In the second phase, we will ensure factors which led to slow progress are attended to, and the project is completed before March 31, 2013," UID officials said, adding that several factors have led to slow progress, including time taken by agencies to feed data and shortage of biometric machines. 
    At a meeting chaired by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and attended by Nandan Nilekani, head of the UID programme, it was decided to connect state departments to the UID to ensure faster delivery of services to users, including direct transfer of money into the account of a card-holder. The revenue, urban development, health, education, women & child departments will be connected to the state resident data hub. This will be done simultaneously with the launch of the programme's second phase, officials said. 
    A 'self-seeding' programme will be launched for those who have received a card to be able to update their LPG, ration card and other basic details on the hub, via SMS or email. Once these details are uploaded, standing in long queues to avail services will not be required. "There will be speedy delivery of services such a gas connection, ration card, government certificates and loans for farmers, among 
many other benefits the government will be able to deliver," an official said. 
    The government has undertaken pilot studies in pockets of Mumbai, where 60 lakh cards have been issued mostly in slum areas. The pilot, to open 1,500 bank accounts with the help of UID, was carried out in a South Mumbai slum. Officials said that Nilekani appreciated it and told the government to connect more bank accounts with the UID so that direct cash transfers become a reality.

CARD TRICK? At a meeting attended by Nandan Nilekani, it was decided to connect state departments to UID to ensure faster delivery of services to users