Microsoft Wants To Be Part Of Unique Identity Project: Gates

Terming the unique identity project as a ‘great initiative’, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates today said the software giant wanted to partner with India in the ambitious project that will give a unique identity number to each of its citizens.

“Microsoft wants to be a part of the unique identification project,” Gates told a conference organised by the IT industry lobby, Nasscom.

“I am very excited about the project. It is a great initiative. We need to make sure that all data is accurate. From a mobile phone number to everything else,” he said.

Gates added that he would meet Nandan Nilekani, who heads the Unique Identification Authority of India, today night to discuss the details of the project.

Gates is in Delhi to receive the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development on behalf of the Gates Foundation.

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The foundation is being recognised for ‘pioneering and exemplary philanthropic work around the world and in India in health’.

Gates, however, pointed out that the applications in banking and healthcare are yet to come up in a big way.

Talking about India’ infrastructure, Gates said, “Lack of roads is a big problem. India needs more roads, which means more investment, something on the lines of the Green Revolution of the late 1960s.”

According to him, the government’s information and communication technology (ICT) projects for students “are yet to reach the level required”.

“How different is education today?” he asked. (IANS)