Chidambaram hands over Res Identity Cards in Andaman, Nicobar

Port Blair: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday handed over the first Resident Identity Card (RIC) to a woman at Prothrapur village in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

After handing over the smart card to Bhoolaxmi, Chidambaram also handed the cards to other women of the area.

He said the Centre has decided to create a National Population Register (NPR) in the coastal areas of nine maritime states including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal and four Union Territories including Andaman and Nicobar, Puducherry, Lakshadweep and Daman and Diu.

The moved is aimed at strengthening the security of the coastline of the country, he said.

Chidambaram said about 2.56 lakh cards will be distributed to all persons who have reached 18 years of age in Andaman.

The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India Dr C Chandramauli was also present on the occasion.

The scheme envisages collection of specific items of information of each individual in the coastal areas and issue Resident Identity Cards (RIC) to all bonafide residents, who are 18 years and above.

All the selected 3,331 coastal villages have been covered in the first phase of the project of these states/UTs.

In Andaman and Nicobar Islands, besides the villages, all the towns will also be covered in the first phase itself. The approved cost of the scheme is Rs 216.31 crore.