With the controversy over the method adopted by Nandan Nilekani’s Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) for collection of data including biometric details of citizens for issuing Aadhar number, is raging, the Cabinet Committee on UID headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to meet soon to resolve the issue.
Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Pulok Chatterji, Union Home Secretary R K Singh and Registrar General of India (RGI) C Chandramouli held a discussion a couple of days back here to explore ways to wriggle out the issue.
In the meeting, they discussed ways to address the issue following the opposition expressed by the home ministry about the data collection method adopted by the UIDAI.
With many states seeking clarification from the Centre, whether to continue data collection under the UIDAI or wait for the National Population Registry (NPR) under RGI for the same task, the meeting also discussed the issue at length.
The Cabinet panel will also address the issue of convergence between UID and NPR exercises, including the request of the MHA to leave the collection of biometrics entirely to the RGI.
The UIDAI, which was asked to collect biometric details of 20 crore people, had already registered around 12 crore people after which the NPR was supposed to take over the responsibility.
