I&B ministry to promote UID on Doordarshan, AIR

In a major initiative, the UPA government has entrusted the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry the task to device and execute a 360-degree communications strategy on the importance and benefits of Unique Identification Number (UID). To start with, the cost of publicity of UID using television, radio, print and outdoor campaigns is estimated to be around Rs 50 crore, which may go up to over Rs 100 crore in the next fiscal as the large-scale implementation of UID is expected to begin from end-2011, early-2012, sources said.

The UID programme is a key initiative of the UPA government that will be devised by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) under the chairmanship of Nandan Nilekani.

From using the commercial airtime around the Saas-Bahu soaps on private channels to using the vast network of Doordarshan and All India Radio, the I&B ministry is working on an exhaustive communications strategy that is expected to roll out by July.

The UIDAI has been set up to issue a unique identification number to the people that can be verified and authenticated in an online, cost-effective manner, and that is robust enough to eliminate duplicate and fake identities.

The cost of publicity of UID is expected to be high as it will involve the services of DD, AIR, Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), publications division, films division, the Press Information Bureau among other important arms of the I&B ministry, informed sources told FE.

Also, the ministry is planning to use the commercial airtime available on private channels especially during the broadcast of popular soaps on television as they attract larger viewership. ??The aim of the communication strategy will be to generate an all round awareness about UID and its several benefits,?? a senior government official told FE.

The UID system is expected to come into effect in 2012 and is set to influence all walks of life, but mostly the poor and under privileged. The government will use UID to effectively check the pilferage in the public distribution of food and other essential commodities. Owning an UID will help the public open bank accounts; obtain passports, check school drop outs amongst others.

UIDAI is going to start the pilot project UID in a couple of months and had requested the assistance and support of the ministry recently, sources told FE. Earlier this month the top officials of both I&B and UIDAI met to thrash out the details of the communication strategy that initially includes conducting workshops and planning the multi-media campaigns across both DD and regional news and FM radio channels.

The campaign for UID is expected to be on the lines of the popular National Rural Health Mission that used around Rs 100 crore to spread the message of health across public and private television channels, radio shows, and outdoor media two years ago.

The government has allocated an annual budget of Rs 1,900 crore for UIDAI and the authority is expected to generate the initial funds for the publicity of UID from its own budgetary allocation.

The I&B ministry is also expected to share the cost of publicity, wherever required, a senior I&B official told FE. ??The discussions on budgets for this exercise may happen soon,?? the official said.