Transport dept. to give work order to roll out advanced smart cards for driving licenses and vehicle registrations
Transport officials revealed that the selected firm is expected to receive the official work order within 15 days. The new smart cards will replace the current polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cards that have been in use for years. These advanced cards are seen as a leap forward in modernising transport documentation, combining robust materials and secure data storage methods.
'The smart cards will be manufactured using polycarbonate, a high-grade material renowned for its strength and resilience. In addition to an embedded chip and a QR code, the cards will include laser-engraved text to prevent the wear and fading commonly seen in PVC cards. This approach ensures that the cards remain legible and tamper-resistant over their lifespan,' a senior transport department official told The Hindu.
Officials highlighted that Karnataka is aligning itself with several other Indian States, such as Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, and Himachal Pradesh, which have already introduced similar smart card systems for their transport documents.
'The smart DL will store up to 25 distinct data fields, including the licence holder's name, photograph, date of birth, blood group, mobile number, address, licence validity, and emergency contact. Similarly, the upgraded RC will display essential vehicle-related data such as registration number, registration date, validity, chassis and engine numbers, and owner details on the front. The back will carry a QR code that provides extended information, including the vehicle's make, model, type, seating capacity, and financing details,' official added.
The embedded QR code will allow quick digital access to basic user information by police and transport officials during inspections, eliminating the need for manual document checks. For more detailed data, authorised personnel can use a dedicated chip reader, thereby simplifying procedures in cases of traffic violations, accidents, or document theft.
To maintain consistency and quality across all cards, printing and production will be centralised at the Transport Commissioner's head office in Bengaluru, according to officials. 'This centralised approach will help ensure all smart cards adhere to uniform security and design standards. It will also streamline logistics, reducing delays and ensuring faster delivery to applicants across the state,' the official explained.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
10 minutes ago
- Economic Times
ET Make in India SME Regional Summit, Chandigarh: Renewed optimism in Punjab's business ecosystem as innovation takes centre stage
Synopsis The ET Make in India SME Regional Summit is a nationwide series of on-ground events aimed at bringing together local MSMEs, policymakers, enablers, and key industry stakeholders. ET Online The summit in Chandigarh began with an insightful keynote address by Shailendra K. Tyagi, Director-STPI, Mohali. The ET Make in India SME Regional Summit in Chandigarh, the third edition in FY 2025-26, was held on July 24, bringing together industry leaders, SME associations, and small business owners to share ideas and chart a collective roadmap for industrial growth and national ET Make in India SME Regional Summit is a nationwide series of on-ground events designed to connect local micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) with policymakers, enablers, and key industry stakeholders. The mission is to highlight emerging opportunities, address pressing challenges, and facilitate impactful knowledge-sharing and networking to drive the next wave of growth for Indian MSMEs. Register here for the Kolkata event The summit in Chandigarh began with an insightful keynote address by Shailendra K. Tyagi, Director of STPI, Mohali, Ministry of Electronics & IT, who spoke about the overall entrepreneurial ecosystem in Chandigarh and Punjab while outlining the central government's initiatives to foster its growth. 'Punjab has long been synonymous with enterprise, resilience, and hard work. From spearheading India's Green Revolution to developing a strong manufacturing base, the state's contribution to the nation's economy remains unmatched,' said Tyagi. 'Under the 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiatives, Punjab's traditional strengths in automobiles, textiles, and agro-processing are gaining renewed momentum, bolstered by support from the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme,' added Tyagi. After the keynote, Vivek Verma, Vice Chairman, CII Chandigarh, and Managing Director of Spray Engineering Devices Ltd., delivered a special address. In his address, he emphasised the remarkable growth of MSMEs in the region over the years and highlighted the need to fully harness the potential of the agri-based sector.'This region is home to numerous agri-based industries and is a leader in the sector. However, agro-processing remains underdeveloped, and the focus now must be on ensuring that all raw materials grown here are processed locally to create high-value products,' said Verma. This was followed by an intriguing fireside chat with Nagaraj Garla, Executive Director, IDBI Bank, on the topic 'Catalysing Make in India Growth: IDBI Bank's Strategic Imperatives for Empowering MSMEs'.Garla addressed several financial challenges facing the sector, highlighting the bank's initiatives, including i-MSME Express, designed to improve cash flow for MSMEs, and emphasising the critical role technology has played in making this possible. 'Effective cash flow management is often the defining factor between the success and failure of an MSME. Financial discipline is key for the success of a business,' he Gupta, Senior Sales Manager, BIS Channel at Canon India, then took the stage with his presentation on 'Making Business Simple with Canon'. He provided helpful details about next-generation printing technologies featuring advanced security layers, highlighting how these innovations can enable entrepreneurs to establish a unique identity and strengthen their competitive was followed by an engaging panel discussion titled 'Chandigarh & Beyond: Strengthening Regional MSME Ecosystems in North India', where local industry leaders and association heads came together to share perspectives and strategies for regional Anand, CEO, Innovation Mission Punjab, expressed optimism about the evolving entrepreneurial and innovation landscape in Chandigarh and Punjab. He said, 'Punjab has some of the best entrepreneurs in the country, but the challenge is that they don't remain in the state.''It's the entrepreneur's responsibility to identify the right talent pools, participate in the right programmes, and ultimately find compelling reasons to build their ventures in Punjab,' said Singh Boparai, General Secretary of the Mohali Industries Association (MIA), stressed the importance of promoting export literacy in Chandigarh. While policies may look promising on paper, he noted, their effective implementation depends on properly understanding and decoding them, he said. 'Sector-specific subvention schemes could significantly boost Chandigarh's MSMEs, and the government should work towards effectively implementing them,' added Chopra, Co-founder of Just Herbs, discussed the opportunities and challenges facing entrepreneurs in Chandigarh and Punjab, emphasising the need to do more to unlock the region's untapped potential.'We don't need to reinvent the wheel for building an entrepreneurial ecosystem; it should be developed from the ground up. In Chandigarh's case, policies do matter, but it's equally important to brand the city in a way that draws people to its ecosystem,' said Chopra. Shefali Dhiman, Co-founder of Flaura Essentials, highlighted the gap between innovation programmes and industry in Chandigarh. She noted that while opportunities exist, many start-up founders are unaware of them, and the lack of networking platforms hampers their ability to scale up. 'A crucial aspect often overlooked by brands is prioritising the consumer from day one. While most founders start with a clear vision of the consumer journey, that focus often diminishes as the business scales,' added panel discussion followed a fireside chat with Saurabh Munjal, Co-founder & CEO, Archian Foods Pvt. Ltd (Lahori Zeera), who shared the success story of his venture and how he and his co-founder crafted a business strategy to compete with some of the biggest brands in the segment. 'India's diversity changes every 100 km, offering a mix of unique flavours. We recognised this early and capitalised on local tastes and market preferences,' said Munjal.'For a business to succeed, you need the right product, the right price, and strong distribution. If the product is good and priced well, retailers will be willing to stock it,' added final session of the evening was a presentation by C.S. Arya (General Manager) and Jasmeet Singh (Manager), Credit Solution Centre, IDBI Bank, highlighting the organisation's initiatives, outreach, and tools that empower marked the successful conclusion of the fourth event in this year's ET Make in India SME Regional Summit series, held in event sponsors were IDBI Bank as Banking & Lending Partner and Canon as Tech Enabler. The Summit now heads to Kolkata on September 4, 2025, for another round of conversations, discussions, and learning in the ET SME Make in India pan-India series. Register here for the Kolkata event
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
13 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Adani Defence to acquire 100% stake in Indamer Technics in MRO growth bid
Adani Defence & Aerospace on Monday announced that it has, in partnership with Prime Aero, signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100 per cent ownership of Indamer Technics Private Limited (ITPL), a private-sector Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) company. The investment will be made through Horizon Aero Solutions Limited, a 50-50 joint venture between Adani Defence & Aerospace and Prime Aero, which is owned by Prajay Patel, director of Indamer Technics, the company stated. ITPL operates a facility in Nagpur's MIHAN special economic zone, covering 120,000 square metres and housing 15 aircraft bays across 10 hangars, the company said, adding that ITPL is approved by India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and other international regulators. It provides services including lease return checks, heavy C-checks, structural repairs, and aircraft painting for Indian and global clients, the statement added. MRO expansion drive This comes months after the Adani group acquired an 85.1 per cent stake in Air Works India, India's largest privately-owned aviation services and MRO company, in a ₹400 crore deal. The developments come as part of the company's plan to expand in the aircraft services and MRO segment. 'Following the addition of Air Works to our portfolio, this acquisition further strengthens our capabilities and footprint in the MRO segment and reinforces our position as the largest private-sector MRO player in the country," said Ashish Rajvanshi, chief executive officer (CEO) of Adani Defence & Aerospace. 'We are excited to partner with Adani Defence & Aerospace to take Indamer Technics to new heights. This collaboration brings together deep-rooted engineering excellence with robust infrastructure and growth capital," said Patel, director of Indamer Technics and Prime Aero.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
13 minutes ago
- Business Standard
US tariffs threaten to derail India's affordable housing market recovery
The US's recent 50 per cent tariffs on Indian exports threaten to further weaken India's affordable housing sector, already reeling from the pandemic, according to real estate consultancy Anarock. Prashant Thakur, Executive Director – Research and Advisory, Anarock, said, 'This category of homes, priced at Rs 45 lakh or less, was already gravely hit by the Covid-19 pandemic and is still struggling to find any semblance of firm ground. Trump's mercenary tariffs will snuff out even the dimmest ray of hope for this segment.' India's affordable housing segment is largely driven by demand from micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which, despite their modest scale, are deeply embedded in the export ecosystem. Their workforces form the primary customer base for this category. Anarock data show that by the first half of 2025, affordable housing's sales share had fallen to just 18 per cent — around 34,565 units out of 1.90 lakh sold across the top seven cities — compared to over 38 per cent in 2019. This underlines a steep loss of momentum. Serving roughly 17.76 per cent of India's 1.46 billion population, the segment's post-pandemic demand slump is mirrored in supply, with its share of new launches plunging from 40 per cent in 2019 to only 12 per cent in the first half of 2025. MSMEs, a cornerstone of India's economy, are among the largest generators of employment and exports. Government estimates indicate they contribute nearly 30 per cent to gross domestic product (GDP) and over 45 per cent to exports. In exports, MSMEs have grown 228 per cent in just the past four years — from 52,849 in FY21 to 173,350 in FY25. Together, MSMEs and SMEs formally and informally employ over 260 million Indians, particularly in labour-intensive industries such as textiles, engineering goods, auto components, gems and jewellery, and food processing. 'Because of the disruption in this large workforce's future income due to the tariffs, affordable housing demand may very possibly derail and further impact sales in this highly income-sensitive segment,' said Thakur. 'Concurrently, such a drop in demand will curtail launches by developers, who will have to contend with tighter working capital due to lower sales. As it is, they have been grappling with serious input cost inflation since the pandemic.' Anarock further noted that housing finance institutions face rising risks from potential defaults to reduced disbursements amid falling demand, leaving the future of affordable housing dependent on urgent government action through coordinated policy, fiscal safeguards, and targeted buyer support.
