India introduces biometric ID to nail criminals
By IANSTuesday, April 20, 2010
NEW DELHI - The government has introduced the biometric identification system in 22 states, including Jammu and Kashmir, to nail hardcore criminals, parliament was told Tuesday.
“Automated Finger Print Identification Systems (AFIS) for the purpose of identification of criminals has been introduced in 22 states and the union territory of Puducherry,” Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Maken told the Lok Sabha.
Under the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System (CCTNS), a project under the national e-governance plan, every police station in the country will be provided with a fingerprint reader for which Rs.15,000 per police station has been earmarked, he said.
“Further, in select police stations finger print enrolment facility is envisaged for which Rs.174.4 crore has been earmarked,” he added.
The states where the biometric system is in place are: Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Assam, Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Nagaland, Delhi, Orissa, Goa, Punjab, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, West Bengal, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.
