Fingerprinting scan during 2011 census for UID scheme

New Delhi, Oct 16 (PTI) All your 10 fingerprints may be
captured or an eye scan done during the upcoming 2011 census
that will come in handy for the ambitious government project
which aims at giving a unique number to every resident in the
country.

The Unique Identification Number (UID) scheme, which is
expected to roll out the first number in 12-18 months, will be
first conferred on the beneficiaries of the the centre's
flagship programme under the NREGA (National Rural Employment
Guarantee Act).

But the specific 16-digit number, which will be unique to
an individual, will not confer on anyone any rights including
citizenship, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)
Chairman Nandan Nilekani said.

He said "several thousand crore" will be required to fund
the scheme but details of who exactly will do the financing
are yet to be finalised. He dismissed reports that the project
would cost about 1.5 lakh crore.

The UID is a concept designed mainly as an inclusive
scheme for the benefit of the poor and the marginalised and
for better targeting of anti-poverty and developmental
programmes which are now plagued by inadequacies like
duplicate and anonymous beneficiaries, he said in an interview
to PTI. SAP