No plans to issue single card for all utilities; NPR in process: Govt tells Lok Sabha

NPR to be updated from Apr 1-Sept 30 2020, along with phase 1 of Census 2021

Voters showing their identity cards at a polling station in Mumbai | Amey Mansabdar [File] Voters showing their identity cards at a polling station in Mumbai | Amey Mansabdar

The government has no plans to issue a single card to all citizens of the country for all utilities, it informed Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, however, said the government has proposed to prepare and update the National Population Register from April 1, 2020, to September 30, 2020, along with the first phase of Census 2021.

"At present, there is no proposal under consideration for one card for all utilities," he said, replying a question on whether the government is considering one card for all utilities in future. In September, Home Minister Amit Shah had hinted at the government's move to bring in a multipurpose identity card for citizens with all utilities like Aadhaar, passport, driving licence and bank accounts. He had then also pressed for the need of NPR in India, saying there should also be a system that when a person dies, the information is updated in the population data automatically.

Rai said on the recommendation of a Group of Ministers, constituted to review the national security system, Section 14A prescribing compulsory registration of every citizen of India was inserted in the Citizenship Act 1955 w.e.f. December 3, 2004.

"In pursuance of sub rule (4) of rule 3 of the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Card) Rules, 2003, framed under the Citizenship Act 1955, the central government prepared National Population Register in 2010 and updated it in 2015.

"Now, it is proposed to prepare and update the Population Register from April 1, 2020, to September 30, 2020, along with the first phase i.e. housing and house listing operations of Census 2021. Census is conducted under the Census Act, 1948," he said.

Rai said it has been estimated that Rs 8,754.23 crore for conducting Census 2021 and Rs 3,941.35 crore for updating National Population Register would be required.

(WIth PTI inputs)