India Post to deliver UID numbers

The country's postal department, India Post and the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) have reached an agreement for the delivery of UID numbers to the citizens, according to a release by the ministry of communications and information technology on Saturday.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed between the two on 30 April 2010 under which India Post will deliver the UID communication for a period of two years.

India Post will use its flagship product Speed Post for the purpose and its vast network of over 155,000 post offices, about 90 per cent of which are located in rural areas.

In addition to delivery of UID communication, the postal department will also provide comprehensive business solutions of printing and mailing activities and also perform biometric authentication of each UID letter delivered, whenever or wherever required by UIDAI.

Currently, India Post is successfully implementing the distribution of around 10,000 tonnes of census material from 15 printing presses to nearly 12,000 locations across the country in connection with the 2011 census.

The department will also be responsible for the reverse logistics for collection of filled census forms from these locations and delivery to the designated destinations for processing. The project started in February 2010 will be completed in June 2011.