Biometric IDs for Slum Dwellers

Biometric IDs for Slum Dwellers

Techtree News Staff, Jun 12, 2007 1715 hrs IST

The identification will pertain only to those slum dwellers who come under the purview of the state sponsored slum redevelopment project.

Land sharks in this city don't spare even slum dwellers it seems...

Which explains why the Maharashtra government has decided to bring in a biometric ID system specially for slum dwellers, to protect them from the greedy bunch.

Reportedly, the identification system is meant for only those slum dwellers in Mumbai, who come under the purview of the state-sponsored slum re-development project.

The government has taken the decision subsequent to receiving several complaints that alleged slum dwellers being enticed into giving up their property to real estate developers, looking to start illegal construction on these plots of land.

Swadhin Kshatriya, Principal Secretary of the State Housing Department, said, "The move to bring in the biometric identification system comes in the wake of several cases filed by slum dwellers, who have complained that their plots are being developed without their consent."

"Initially, the identification process will be introduced in schemes approved by the state Slum Re-development Authority (SRA). This will help us reduce the number of complaints to a great extent," Kshatriya said.

Under the biometric ID system, a unique number will be created for each beneficiary. And the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has reportedly already started digitizing city maps to ascertain the authenticity of slum dwellers' claims for accomodation under the SRA scheme.

In future, the biometric system will be introduced for the Dharavi Redevelopment Scheme, and redevelopment of BDD 'chawls' spread across South Central Mumbai.