Kerala to become first state to issue unique ID to all citizens

After achieving 100% literacy and universal primary education, Kerala is aiming to become the first state in the country to issue Unique Identity number (UID) to all its citizens within a year.

This was adopted as one of the pilot programmes of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government that assumed office last month, chief minister Oommen Chandy told a meet-the-press in Thiruvananthapuram.

Though it was a scheme initiated by the Union government, the state on its own will bear the cost of Rs49.50 crore required to complete the exercise, which would be later reimbursed by the Centre, he said.

"Issuing UID would benefit people in many ways. We are keen to complete it as early as possible. That is why we are taking special initiative for this. This has been conveyed to a senior official concerned," he said.

The state agencies like Keltron, Akshaya and IT @School had been entrusted with the field work like enumeration, taking photographs and computer processing to create the "unique Id number" for each and every citizen.