Govt nod for ‘standardised approach' to collect data under UID project
Our Bureau
New Delhi, May 18
In order to smoothen the process of enrolment for the UID project, the Government on Tuesday approved adoption of a “standardised approach” for collection of demographic and biometric information.
This will ensure that the uniform information in a standard format can be collected from the field through various agencies.
In other words, it will ensure that different agencies do not use different formats for collecting information, which could complicate collation.
“We have established the standards to be adopted by stakeholders, who will collect information for the purpose of UID project,” the UIDAI Chairman, Mr Nandan Nilekani, told reporters after the first meeting of Cabinet Committee on Unique Identification Authority of India.
Basic information
The UID project entails collection of basic information such as name, date of birth, gender, father/guardians' name, and address, apart from ten fingerprints, photograph and an iris scan.
The Biometric Standards Committee has already prescribed certain standards (ISO 19794 series of standards) and formats with regards to biometric information. In this context, standards assume importance as interoperability between devices and IT systems have become a growing concern.
The Government has also decided to include the data of iris for children in the age group of 5-15 years.
The same standards and processes would be adhered to by the Registrar General of India for the National Population Register (NPR) exercise and all the other registrars in the UID systems. Mr Nilekani said UIDAI would shortly release a draft legislative framework that would give it statutory powers to hand out a unique identification numbers.
“We are in the final stages of framing the draft and we will put it out for a public discussion. It will ultimately need Parliament or Cabinet's approval,” he said.
Seeking to allay widespread concerns on privacy issues, he said that safeguards will be in place to ensure privacy of information under the UID project. Mr Nilekani also added that he would support any move for an umbrella legislation that will address the data protection issues, in general.
“We will support any efforts on this. But we are one of the stakeholders and, therefore, we will be part of a larger process,” he said.