)
Government is not considering any proposal to integrate the UID (Aadhaar) project with National Population Register (NPR), Parliament was informed today.
"There is no such proposal under consideration of the government at this stage," Planning Minister Rao Inderjit Singh said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha, when asked whether it proposes to integrate UID with NPR.
On giving statutory status to Aadhaar, Singh said: "A notice for introduction of the bill (for the purpose) along with official amendments was moved in the Parliament during Winter Session, 2013. However, the same could not be taken up for consideration."
The National Identification Authority of India Bill 2010 was introduced in the Rajya Sabha in December 2010 and was thereafter referred to the Standing Committee on Finance.
The UPA government had to suspend Aadhaar-based direct benefit transfers in view of reservations over certain issues.
Giving indications that the new government will continue Aadhaar enrolments, Rs 2,039.64 crore has been provided in the budget for the Aadhaar for the current fiscal, as against Rs 1,550 crore released in 2013-14.
As per latest information available, as many as 73.71 crore
Aadhaar enrolments have been done till mid-July, with 8.45 crore rejections by the Unique Identification Authority of India implementing the project.
UIDAI has generated 64.05 crore Aadhaars and incurred an expenditure of Rs 4,620.61 crore so far since its inception.
The minister informed the House that Aadhaar enrolments are being carried out in all districts of 22 states and union territories allocated to the project.
The authority was mandated to collect biometrics of 60 crore residents and rest of India's population was to be covered under the NPR project.
It was decided by the Cabinet Committee on UIDAI during UPA regime that all residents would be issued National Multi-purpose Identity Cards under NPR, and UIDAI would generate Unique identification number for entire population.
Both UIDAI and NPR were to share the biometric data collected by them for issuing NMIC and generating unique identification number.
The NPR is a comprehensive identity database maintained by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India under the Home Ministry.
