M SARITA VARMA
Posted: Thursday, Jun 02, 2011 at 0108 hrs IST
Posted: Thursday, Jun 02, 2011 at 0108 hrs IST
Thiruvananthapuram: The new UDF government in Kerala is taking a headlong plunge into the R15,000-crore Unique Identification Card (UID card) project. To splash it out as the country’s first state with 100% coverage in UID, the state government has offered R49.50 crore for the project now.
Chief minister Oommen Chandy has asked UIDAI (UID Card Authority of India) chairman Nandan Nilekani what would it take for the project, forked out for three phases in Kerala, to be implemented in one year, in a single go. ‘‘This is to speed up the identifity card for those under BPL (below poverty line) ambit and fasttrack their welfare measures. To cover the expenses of the surveyors at field work, about R49.5 crore would be required. Although this is Centre’s share as part of the project work, to expediate the project, the state is ready to advance this amount,’’ Chandy told FE.