Finally the most sensitive issues of curbing terrorism and separating common civilians from unidentified terrorists seem to be taking shape. As part of this gigantic exercise to provide unique identity numbers (UID) to the citizens, the Centre has notified the setting up of the National Authority for Unique Identity (NAUID) and asked nine coastal states and four Union Territories (UTs) to provide details of coastal villages by February 1, so that the task to create a database for issuing the cards to villagers can begin.

The unique identity number is an integral part of the ongoing Multi-Purpose National Identity Card (MNIC) scheme, and will be issued to citizens living in coastal villages of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal by 2010. The Union Territories, which will be covered under the first phase, are: Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Lakshadweep, Puducherry and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

The initial plan is to cover the coastal villages to avoid terrorists taking the sea route once again. The initiative to issue UIDs to residents of coastal villages has been taken in the wake of the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai, which exposed their vulnerability. The scheme is likely to cover the entire country by 2012.

The identification number will be provided by the National Authority for Unique Identity (NAUID), an entity under the Planning Commission. It will work in coordination with the office of the Registrar General of India (RGI), which has been working on the National Population Register.

The identity cards proposed to be issued will be micro-processor chip-based cards, which will have information of each individual; his/her finger biometrics as well as a photograph.

A unique "National Identity Number" will be assigned to each individual including those below 18 years of age. This number will become a "link number" with any other application of the state government.

Currently, the government is in the process of implementing the MNIC scheme and creating a National Population Register (NPR), which will have data on identified characteristics for each individual along with the 2011 Census.

NAUID will be responsible for creating and maintaining the core database and laying down all necessary procedures for issuance and usage of UIDs, including arrangements for collection, validation and authentication of information, proper security of data and rules for sharing and access of data.

This is the much talked about and awaited initiative from the policy makers and politicians, who have been so far ignoring the issues of national and citizens’ security.