Reiterating the government's commitment to work for the development of the country and the people, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, said on Monday that by 2010-2111, all the Indian citizens will be issued the unique multi-purpose national identity cards.

Saying that the project will be implemented by a Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), headed by Nandan Nilekani, the Minister told reporters that the first phase of the plan would be executed during the current fiscal, with the cards to be issued to nearly 1.2 crore people living in almost 3,331 coastal villages and cities.

Chidambaram specified that, as the name implies, the multi-purpose identity cards will provide multiple proofs of identity for citizens, thereby helping them avail any government service, as well as serve their personal requirements - like helping them seek a new telephone connection or open a bank account.

The Minister also said that the completion of the unique identity project will set a record of sorts - by making India the first country in the world to have the biometrics data of more than one billion people collected and amassed in an online database!