Nandan Nilekani, the former head of the leading technology firm Infosys Technologies has been given more responsibilities in the government works.
Mr. Nilekani is heading the innovative unique identity card (UID) project which aims at providing an identification card to every Indian. He will now also be in charge of a technology advisory group for projects “to ensure effective tax administration and financial governance” so that the IT projects are tamper-proof and reliable.
“A Technology Advisory Group for Unique Projects (TAGUP) is proposed to be set up under the Chairmanship of Nandan Nilekani for creation of reliable and secure IT projects,” said Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
The new responsibility shows the confidence the UPA has on the in him in executing innovative plans to bring transparency and accountability to the government projects in order to make them effective.
The new project directly challenges the way in which bureaucracy often delays projects. Some are surprised with the appointment of Mr. Nilekani instead of Mr. Sam Pitroda who was appointed an adviser to the PM on innovation.
The technology advisory group aims at developing more efficient tax administration and financial governance through projects in the information technology sector in an efficient manner.
In his role in the group, Mr. Nilekani will oversee technological and systemic issues of the projects in information technology in the areas of Tax Information Network, New Pension Scheme, National Treasury Management Agency, Expenditure Information Network, Goods and Service Tax.
The finance minister has made appropriate allocations in the Union Budget for the ongoing UID project which will start rolling out Id numbers this year.
