The Hindu                 02.05.2013

Only 10% residents profiled for ID cards in city so far

The collection of biometric data for resident identity
cards under the National Population Register (NPR) is way behind
schedule in the city.

The revenue department of the
Chennai Corporation, which shoulders the responsibility of collecting
the data, has so far managed to profile just 3.93 lakh residents in
Chennai district.

The project to collect biometric
data such as fingerprints and iris scans, and photographs of 41.53 lakh
residents in the district commenced on December 12, 2012. The deadline
is September 2013. Work in many newly-added areas of the Chennai
Corporation is yet to begin.

“Senior citizens are
forced to wait for hours for biometric data collection. Only 60 to 70
persons are screened daily,” said Annamalai, a resident of Seven Wells,
who took part in the data collection drive recently.

Work
is under way in the city in zones of Tondiarpet, Royapuram, Teynampet
and Kodambakkam. “Biometric data collection will begin in Anna Nagar
next week. Work in Adyar and Thiru.Vi.Ka Nagar will also begin this
month,” said M.R.V. Krishna Rao, joint director of census operations.

Residents
in a number of localities said they were unable to submit biometric
data even after waiting for hours at the Chennai Corporation offices.
“Many of us had to return home without registering the data. Waiting at
the Corporation offices braving the summer heat is an ordeal,” said a
resident of K.K. Nagar.

Revenue department officials,
however, said lack of awareness on the part of residents was one of the
reasons for the delay in collection of the data. The residents did not
stick to the schedule of enumerators in their respective blocks, said a
Corporation official.

The enumerators fix a day for
data collection in each locality. But most residents do not visit the
biometric operators on the stipulated date. So, there are crowds in some
centres and barely any visitors in others, the official said.

Also,
many residents who have received Aadhar numbers are under the wrong
impression they do not have to register for this project. This adds to
the confusion, the official said.

Chennai residents
above the age of five years are being covered under the NPR project.
Officials have begun creating awareness among residents, informing them
that even those who have obtained Aadhar numbers have to provide details
under the NPR project to get smart cards. The cards will help people
avail the benefits of government welfare schemes in a few years.

Those without Aadhar will be provided one after registering for the NPR smart-card project. It is however voluntary.