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West Bengal plans I-cards for residents

M Chhaya in Kolkata

The West Bengal government has decided to issue identity cards to all its residents, around 80 million, in an attempt to stall illegal migration from neighbouring Bangladesh.

Earlier, the government had plans to issue photo I-cards only to the residents of 10 districts that border Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.

According to an official in the state home ministry, the department is 'coordinating with the central government for logistical and financial support for the project', which is expected to start by the end of this year.

The official said the government decided to issue I-cards to all residents as it 'realised that the immigrants were not restricting themselves to specific districts'.

Apart from the census department, the state's health ministry will also be included in the project as it maintains birth and death records.

It was, however, not clear if the state's endeavour will conflict with a similar central government plan that was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani in Bhubaneswar last month.

The I-cards mooted by the state will bear the name, age, address, educational qualification, and caste of a bona fide resident. The card could be used to avail government benefits.

The Planning Commission has suggested a household survey, apart from referring to the census figures, to draw up a list of bona fide residents.

West Bengal shares a 4,000km border with Bangladesh.

Nearly 3,500 Indian villagers reside in the no man's land or have their farmlands there. The process of erecting a wire fence along the border has kicked up a row with many villagers complaining of problems in accessing their homes, schools and farms. The villages also allege harassment at the hands of border guards.

Most of these disputed villages are in Nadia, Murshidabad, Malda, and Cooch Behar districts.

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