Coastal inhabitants to get smart cards soon

Two crore people  along the coastline have already been identified. With the security on the radar, the exercise of NPR in the 3,331 coastal villages has been completed in advance ahead of the same being undertaken in the rest of the country.

“The data on the identity of  inhabitants  has been collected directly on the laptop in these areas,” ministry officials  said.

These ID cards would be issued to the residents of these villages or towns who are of age group of 18 years and above. Intelligence agencies have suggested that maritime zones continue to be  “vulnerable”  to the  plans of Pakistan-based terror groups, particularly Lashkar-e-Toiba and other “non-state actors”.

 The US   intelligence warning had earlier claimed that it had warned the Indian government about a potential sea-route attack against Mumbai at least a month before it took place on November 26, 2008.

To make maritime areas more secure, identity cards are to be provided at the earliest in the coastal villages and towns of  Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal. Besides, people living close to water-zones in four Union Territories- Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Pudducherry- would be provided with smart cards, helping identification of  “intruders.”

The “biographic details” of more than 120 lakh people and “biometric details” of more than 70 lakh persons have  been collected.

 The draft Local Register of Usual Residents has been displayed in the local areas for inviting claims or objections.

Design of ID card has been finalised and steps have been initiated for production and personalisation of identity  cards for these areas.

Intelligence officials suspect that the terrorist group behind the Mumbai attacks is planning another audacious sea-borne strike in the country.