One of the major problems with India is the huge amount of paperless persons – people not on the record at all.  A new system proposed will use iris scanning and fingerprints to assign a 12 digit personal ID code to each indian person, allowing access to financial tools, government benefits, voting, census and more.

He can use the number, along with a thumbprint, to identify himself anywhere in the country. It will allow him to gain access to welfare benefits, open a bank account or get a cellphone far from his home village, something that is still impossible for many people in India.

This is not the first time biometrics has been used in the subcontinent, but it is the first time it has been used by the government for identification.

An iris scan is an identifier more unique than fingerprints, and, with economies of scale, cheaper than issuing identification cards

[Via: NYT; BoingBoing]