Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday said the Unique Identification Number (UID) was a major step his government had taken to benefit the common man.
Handing over the first set of UID cards at Tembli village here, the prime minister said: "It is one of our ambitious projects to give an unique identity to every citizen of India. This scheme will enable the poor, the backward classes and women to take advantage of our other schemes."
Addressing around 500 people, he said: "This is one scheme that will give you an identity, a scheme through which you can make your voice heard."
Singh said the scheme will help take banking facilities to the remotest Indian villages. "This scheme will lay the foundation for facilitating you to avail all other government welfare schemes."
United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi attended the function.
Singh and Gandhi earlier handed over UID cards - called 'Aadhar' - to a dozen villagers. The UID scheme, by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), will be implemented nationwide.
"I congratulate UIDAI chief Nandan Nilekani and his team for launching a successful venture," Singh said.
Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said it was a matter of pride for Nandurbar and Maharashtra that a prestigious national scheme was first implemented there.
Singh congratulated Chavan for taking the initiative to get the first set of UID in Maharashtra.
"It is a matter of pride for Maharashtra. This state is one of the developing states in India. It is an inspiration for many other states. I am sure this initiative will set an example for other states," he said.
The UIDAI scheme, announced in July 2009, will provide an unique identity to each Indian over the next five years.
After a person is allotted an UID, his/her identity linked to biometrics would be established to uniquely identify the person.
The UID would authenticate the identity claim of a person and have wide-ranging applications.
"It has been the dream of my late husband Rajiv Gandhi to utilise IT to integrate the nation. This is the first step towards his dream of India in the 21st century," Gandhi said.
"I am glad that the socially backwards will be able to avail various programmes through this project," she added.
Present on the occasion were Governor K. Sankaranarayanan, Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman M.S. Ahluwalia and Nandan Nilekani.