New Delhi: Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on August 21 said government would implement the project to provide multi-purpose identity cards to the citizens, a move agreed to by the States after initial hesitation by some.

Addressing a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee, he said all steps would be taken for successful implementation of the project and allayed fears about any influence or pressure to stall it.

Referring to the Chief Ministers' conference in which the issue figured, Advani said initially there was some hesitation by some states but ultimately all unanimously agreed on the need for launching the project.

"This was also endorsed by the last conference of Chief Secretaries from the states", the Deputy Prime Minister said.

The decision to take up the project followed a recommendation of a Group of Ministers (GoM) on National Security headed by Advani that "illegal migration has assumed serious proportions. There should be compulsory registration of citizens and non-citizens living in India".

Suggesting that a national register of citizens should be prepared, the GoM had said all citizens should be given a multi-purpose national identity card while non-citizens should be issued identity cards of a different colour and design. The recommendations of the GoM were accepted by the government.

PTI