Nandan Nilekani To Formally Assume UID Chief Position On Thursday  Nandan Nilekani |
Nandan Mohan Nilekani will formally assume the position as the chairperson of the newly formed Unique Identity Authority at Yojana Bhavan, the headquarters of the Planning Commission, in New Delhi on Thursday.
Nilekani, 54, will enjoy the rank of a cabinet minister.
The authority will oversee the government's ambitious project to assign unique identity numbers and issue a card to each of India's 1.17 billion citizens that will serve as a permanent identifier from birth to death. Its main purpose is to obviate the need for multiple documentary proof of identity for any of the government services, or for private needs like opening bank accounts.
It is also expected to enhance national security by helping to identify illegal aliens.
