Meghalaya govt to offer UIN cards to identify Indian citizens

Shillong, Nov 08: The Meghalaya government has come up with a plan to provide Unique Identification Number (UIN) cards to Indian citizens to check the growing menace of infiltration across Bangladesh border.

The UIN card will not only provide an identity to an Indian citizen but will also help them in obtaining the benefits of government schemes and other activities.

''We are compiling data and collecting ration cards, NREGA job cards, election photo identity cards for implementation of UIN cards in Meghalaya,'' state’s Additional Chief Secretary, PBO Warjri told UNI here.

Mr Warjri, who is also the Chairman of Unique Identification Database, Meghalaya state unit said once the data is compiled it will be sent to New Delhi.

Earlier, Chief Minister DD Lapang requested Nandan Nilekani, Chairman of Unique Identification Authority of India, to start the exercise of allotting UIN cards from districts bordering Bangladesh to contain infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals.

Mr Nilekani, however, said that rolling out of UIC would take at least 18 months.

Meghalaya shares about 443 km of the international border with Bangladesh and is faced with problems of infiltration.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr Mukul M Sangma said this unique number would be used by the Meghalaya United Alliance coalition government for all flagship development programmes.

''We will ensure that the benefits of the schemes reach the common people and the same could be used for schools too,'' Dr Sangma said.

--UNI