UIC will simplify access to services

 The UIAI would issue Unique Identity Cards (UIC) which would assign a permanent number to an individual that remains his identity for all purposes-from receiving health benefits to accessing all e-governance services. UIC is likely to be available to a set of users initially in 2010, which includes those in villages of coastal Karnataka.

The need for a system to identify individuals has been a long felt one. It has been seen as vital for better targeting of government's development schemes, regulatory (including taxation and licensing) and security purposes, banking and financial sector activities, etc.
In the absence of such a nationwide system, each sector of the economy or department/ agency of the government adopts its own system of identification such as PAN card, ration card, Electoral Photo Identity Card etc. Such specific purpose identities were often found to have inherent limitations in accuracy and currency levels on account of low frequency of usage.

The card would obviate the need for a person to produce multiple documentary proofs of his identity to avail government or private services like opening of a bank account, etc.
At the inception, the UIC number will be assigned to all voters by building on current electoral roll data and progressively adding other persons including those below 18 years who are not a part of the voters list in the country. The currency and comprehensiveness of the is expected to attain perfection over a period of time, through failsafe procedure and intense use of technology. 

The scheme is designed to leverage intensive usage of the UID, providing an efficient and convenient mechanism to update information. Photographs and biometric data will be added progressively to make identification procedure foolproof. Features such as easy registration and information change procedures have also been envisaged in the project.

Usage of UIC will be progressively extended to various government programmes and regulatory agencies, as well as private sector agencies in the banking, financial services, mobile telephony and other such areas.

Over a period of time, the UIC is expected to become the single universal identification mechanism across all institutions of the government and the private sector in the country.

The UID authority will work closely with the National Population Register through the Registrar General of the Census of India.

It will also work concurrently with the census 2011 in accordance with the provisions of the Indian Citizenship Act.