Chip enabled e-passports with high security features may soon be rolled out as government has started preparation for introducing it.
Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said the government has given approval for procurement of electronic contactless inlays for manufacturing of e-passports.
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He said Nasik-based India Security Press (ISP) has been authorised to float a global tender for procurement of the contactless inlays along with its operating system.
The personal particulars of the applicants would be digitally signed and stored in the chip.
In response to another question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Pon Radhakrishnan said the government has introduced new online systems for vehicle registration and driving licences, aimed at simplifying the issuance process and curbing corruption.
"Provisions regarding issuance of learner's licence and driving licence are contained in... the MV Act. The ministry has introduced online based citizen-centric application Vahan 4.0 and Sarathi 4.0 under digitisation to ease the processes and curb corruption," the minister said in a written reply.
The minister added that 85 road transport offices under Vahan 4.0 and 235 road transport offices under Sarathi 4.0 have been brought to the centralised platform.
Besides, the ministry has notified that fitness certificate for renewal of a motor vehicle can be obtained from a state or a union territory other than the state or the UT where the vehicle is registered, the minister said.
He added that the central road fund (CRF) rules have been amended marking 10 percent of CRF allocations for road safety improvement works for state roads.
"The amount of funds likely to be allocated in 2017-18 is about Rs. 720 crores, which is 10 percent of CRF allocation to states and union territories for state roads (except village roads)," he said.
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