Contactless Smart Cards, RFID, Payment, Transit and Security

BPL families in Chandigarh to receive smart cards

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Below-Poverty-Line (BPL) families in Chandigarh, India will begin to receive smart cards in place of their ration cards in April of next year, according to indianexpress.com. BPL families will be able to use the cards to purchase subsidized food grains.

To prevent theft, the cards will hold biometric data of each member of the family, including either fingerprints or iris scans.


Cardholders will also be able to follow their account balances online.

The cards will be phased in gradually over the next two years, with the first wave comprising 50,000 cards.

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Prisoners at Tihar prisons, located near New Delhi, India, will now be using smart cards instead of paper coupons for their food purchases.

As reported by The Economic Times, the former system of paper food coupons led to misuse and illegal activity within the jail. Some prisoners would use it for currency in order to get banned substances or buy favors from others.

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The Philippine Government has decided to rely on a biometric system to ensure only families that legitimately qualify for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Grant are receiving the financial aid, according to a Business World Online article.

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Identive Group Inc. has announced a deal to acquire a majority stake in Hamburg, Germany-based payment solution AG, a cashless payment system provider for stadiums, arenas and other types of entertainment venues.

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Turkcell, Turkey’s largest mobile operator, has announced the launch of a SIM-based NFC road toll payment application on the Turkcell T11 smart phone.

Developed in collaboration with Bank Asya, the app allows users to migrate their plastic KGS toll payment cards onto their T11 smart phone to pay for fares when crossing bridges and freeway turnpikes.

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Russia has pushed back the launch of its universal eID card to January 2013, reports The Moscow Times.

Originally scheduled to roll out this month, the card is supposed to function as an electronic ID, driver’s license, proof of auto insurance, ATM card and immigration document, along with other possible features.

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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced that it will hold a workshop on April 26 to examine the use of mobile payments and how this emerging technology impacts consumers.

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