Port Blair, Jan. 21: The Union Minister for  Home Affairs, Shri P Chidambaram  distributed the first tranche of Resident Identity (smart) Cards (RIC) to the villagers of Prothrapur at Prothrapur Community hall here today.  Speaking on the occasion, Shri Chidambarak described the Smart Cards as something extra ordinary which establishes  one’s  citizenship of India .   Biometric information in the microchip of the Smart Card will form the database  on which the National Population Register (NPR) will be built, the Minister said.  Among others, the Lt. Governor, A & N Islands , Lt. General (retd) Bhopinder Singh,  Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India , Dr. C. Chandramouli, the DDG NPR, Chairman and MD, Electronic corporation of India (ECIL), Chief Secretary, Shri  Shakti Sinha, ZP Adhyaksh and  PRI members were also present on the occasion. 

Shri Chidambaram said that the  Smart Cards are a part of the GoI’s ambitious NPR project, which will cover 3331 coastal villages in nine states and four union territories . The demographic data collection of about 1.2 crore people across the country and biometric information of about 75 lakh persons in the 3331 coastal villages have been completed. Loaded with number security features, the Electronic Corporation of India (ECIL) produced Cards will be distributed to about 2.56 lakh residents of A & N Islands above 18 years of age, Shri  Chidambaram said . The islanders should be proud that the distribution of the high security Smart Card  has commenced in their  islands, he added.

Earlier in his welcome address, Dr. C. Chandramouli said that with the launch of the RICs a milestone has been achieved towards strengthening coastal security in the country.  Every resident, he said, has been covered and will be issued these Smart Cards as part of the NPR project to secure the Indian coastline     The RIC Card comprises of a photograph, biometric information on a microchip, finger prints etc. These cards will enable coastal residents to authenticate their identity anytime, anywhere in an offline mode. Despite difficult circumstances, sustained efforts and cooperation from all agencies have led to the successful completion of this project in these islands, he said.