Centre to put QR code on fishermen’s Aadhaar cards to secure sea route: Amit Shah

PANAJI: Union home minister Amit Shah said here on Thursday that the Centre has decided to provide Aadhaar cards with encrypted QR codes to all fishermen to prevent illegal entry of foreigners by sea route.
“An innovative solution of an encrypted QR code on Aadhaar cards to verify antecedents of marine fishermen will be implemented. It will ensure that foreign nationals don’t enter Indian territory unauthorisedly through fishing boats,” Shah said at the 24th meeting of the Western Zonal Council in Goa.
He directed the states to take printouts or get the cards made within a month on government initiative, so that everyone has an Aadhaar card with the latest QR Code.
It was also decided at the meeting to bring banking facilities to all villages, by setting up either a bank or India Post Payments Bank within a 5km radius.
The home minister also called upon the states to give their suggestions for improving the Indian Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code.
He urged the chief ministers to ensure regular monitoring of investigation and prosecution of cases in courts in case of heinous offences, like those under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, Pocso Act and murders. Stating that monitoring should be at the chief secretary’s level, Shah asked the states to fill the post of director prosecution without any further delay.
The Union home minister also pointed out that the government has zero tolerance towards offences under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
“Forensic science labs also need to be strengthened to ensure accurate investigation and high conviction,” he said, while stressing on the need for setting up forensic science laboratories in states.
Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Goa CM Pramod Sawant and the administrator of the UTs of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Praful Patel, attended the meeting.