E-Governance Updates : 6/5/10

HIS TO MAKE HOSPITALS SMARTER
Shailvee Sharda, Lucknow
The Times of India

The quintessential sarkari face of government hospitals in UP is in for a major change. And the tool behind this transformation is information technology. The state family welfare department has decided to install hospital information system (HIS) in its hospitals under the national rural health mission. As many as 15 hospitals have been shortlisted to begin with. The selected ones in Lucknow are Ram Manohar Lohia, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Civil, Veerangana Avanti Bai and Veerangana Jhalkari Bai hospitals.

UID AUTHORITY CLEARS AIR ON COST OF IRIS SCAN
New Delhi
Hindustan Times

The Unique Identification Authority of India expects the cost of the eye scan process for issuing unique identification to be 30-50 percent less than fingerprint matching software. In a status paper on iris scan issued on Wednesday, the authority the cost of the scan had been a concern.

“However, the current high prices for iris technology are a result of low volume and its use in cost insensitive security applications. Considering the large demand that will come from India for iris devices and software, the UIDAI expects the prices for devices and software to fall rapidly,” the paper said.

 

E-Governance : 4/5/10

BU STUDENTS TO GET SMART CARDS
Bangalore
Deccan Herald

The Bangalore University syndicate approved a proposal to introduce smart cards for students as part of its e-governance initiatives on Monday.

The syndicate also approved in principle, an initiative to incorporate IT based security-enhancing system for undergraduate examinations and evaluation. The varsity has already issued a tender notice inviting IT companies interested in implementing the smart card system. The smart card will primarily be a single window system of access for students.

GOVT TO INTRODUCE BILL TO REGULATE UNIQUE ID PROJECT
Bangalore
The Economic Times

India plans to introduce a law for regulating the ambitious programme of giving unique identity numbers to nearly 1.2 billion citizens, chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) Nandan Nilekani confirmed last week. “It’s happening. The UIDAI would be proposing a UIDAI Act to provide for statutory powers and responsibilities to the authority. This Act would address the issues of privacy and data security of the UIDAI database,” Nilekani said.

In fact, the authority was formed last year with a road map to be established by an act of Parliament. The proposed law will authorise the UID to collect identity information, such as name, gender, date of birth, parents’ name, address and fingerprints, from people voluntarily seeking a unique identity number.

E-Governance Update: 3/5/10

ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGE TO AADHAAR, SAARC
Anil Padmanabhan
Mint

Last week, two good ideas with potentially enormous consequences for India were facing rejection.

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), the long neglected multilateral body for this region, was, just ahead of its 16th summit meeting in Thimpu, Bhutan, being passed off as “dead at birth” and hence only fit to be buried. Similarly, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), or Aadhaar (its brand name), faced its first serious challenge after a group of non-profit organizations came together and warned that they would make out a legal case to spike it as they perceived it to be a threat to individual privacy.

Aadhaar is barely a year old. Its role is to develop and implement the requisite infrastructure that will enable UIDAI to allocate unique identity numbers to Indian residents—it’s very important to understand that it is not just meant for citizens. The idea is that UID can be verified online. Imagine what it will do for the economically disenfranchised —who don’t even possess birth certificates to enrol their children in a school.

 

RS 97 LAKH GONE, PROJECT STILL NOT ON
Gurdeep Singh Mann, Bassi Pathana
The Tribune

While the Centre has announced to introduce the first National Population Register and provide every Indian with unique identification number, the State of Punjab had spent whopping Rs 97.5 lakh on Multi-Service Card (MSC) Project three years ago that has failed to see light. Besides, 66 government officials from the district were deployed to gather information and project details of the scheme. But, all efforts have gone futile.