According to the TCS plan, the system would require 462 distribution layer nodes supporting store and forward feature, download of data capture application, upload of captured data to access layer nodes and cache engines to enhance query responses. The consultant suggests that these centers should be located in each district headquarters or areas having good optic fibre connectivity as the bandwidth required between distribution and access layer nodes will range between 8 Mbps to 30 Mbps. Similarly, the 43 access layer nodes need to be located at major urban centers on the DoT’s synchronous transmission module (STM) rings with bandwidth requirement of 30 Mbps to 60 Mpbs between access and the backbone layer nodes.

Nishan’s backbone layer nodes need to be located in Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai requiring bandwidth between 100 Mbps and 170 Mbps to transfer data to the central servers. The backbone nodes will be capable of hosting the captured data, supporting application for managing applicants’ queries and replicating the data to the central location server. The central location server to be placed in Delhi will comprise of all Nishan database replicated from backbone nodes. It will also store external database for reference and backup of all captured Nishan data. The central server will not only process and verify an application, it will also initiate the card production process, including generation of PIN, card issuance and dispatch.

The application architecture

Nishan application architecture will be a component-based multi-tier application, that would use distributed object architecture that encapsulates the data and the business logic within the object and allows them to be located anywhere within the distributed system. Typically the components of Nishan application architecture would be data capture, data verification and the back office component. While data capture component would have sub components relating to capture of demographic information, biometrics, digital photograph and scanned images, the data verification component will have interface with other business components like IT PAN, passport and electoral roll. The back office will contain core components like PIN generation, card production and dispatch components, as also account and inventory management.

The distributed object based architecture will also empower creation of a multi-tier application. The TCS report has categorized Nishan’s application multi-tier architecture into three types—client tier, mid-tier and data source-tier.

According to the report, the client tier would display content delivered by the mid-tier. Client application for Nishan would be the data capture application, including user authentication and data uploading components. The client application would also contain user interface logic and screens that signal completion of an enrollment process prompting the user to upload data. Besides, it would also have menu-driven screens for editing, printing and help. As the tier would act merely as the interface between the user and the supported functionality, it will be ultra thin. In other words all processing of the applications would be done at the application server.

The mid-tier, on the other hand, represents a logical layer between the Web client and the database. The mid-tier for Nishan would be the application server that encompasses the process logic, which is core of any application. The mid-tier application component would receive and process data and requests submitted by the client application. While the mid-tier application components are classified as core and business components, Nishan’s core application would be the biometrics component that processes received data as per the rules and functions and remains independent of other components. The business application components would be data verification that will have interface with external components like IT PAN, passport and electoral databases.

The third and the last logical layer or data source-tier represent the RDBMS or other proprietary data source that provide critical database. Nishan database containing biometrics, digital photograph, scanned documents and applicants’ demographic information would belong to this tier. To avoid technical and administrative complexity and reduce cost, TCS recommends a single RDBMS platform. According to it, applications would run on a homogeneous database environment, thought it could be on either ‘enterprise server’ or on ‘intermediate server’.

Splitting of database would also be possible within the RDBMS platform. Biometrics, textual, digital photograph and scanned document data would be split across several databases that in turn would be installed in different or the same location depending upon requirements. The splits would run horizontally through the tables wherein each database would contain a subset of the rows of a table.

The service provided by mid-tier application components will access and manage the data through the data management layer. This layer would be independent of the function logic and hold all data access routines, minimizing the app–lication’s dependence on the underlying database management, the physical storage and would help determine the location within the network.

Opportunity galore

According to the TCS report, the total project capital expenditure for Nishan over 10 years works out to Rs 1,584 crore. This excludes the Rs 600 crore required for data collection by the franchisees. In addition, the recurring expenses for cards and consumables, network and application management costs have been estimated at around Rs 1,800 crore. Apart from calculating the cost of plastic cards at Rs 15 each, the TCS estimate has also taken into account Rs 25,000 per machine per month as card printing supervision cost. Provision has also been made for card dispatch from the centralized card production location to respective collection centers at Rs two per card.

What’s more, the provisioning for network management reflects TCS’ and the government’s awareness of and requirement for top-notch technical skills in implementing Nishan. Check these estimates for network management of the system: Rs 20,000 per month for each distribution node, Rs 90,000 per month for each access node, Rs 2.5 lakh per month for each backbone node and Rs five lakh per month for the central node. The report also projects application management cost at Rs 17.5 lakh per month during the initial phases. This is, however, expected to touch Rs 25 lakh per month with the increase in the number of professionals required for manual biometrics verification. In fact, TCS estimates a total project cost of Rs 4,000 crore over a period of 10 years. This excludes establishment, management, legal and fibre connectivity cost, as well as the cost of capital.

While the projections are many and the TCS report is very optimistic about the success of the project, it does add a cautionary note: ‘To succeed Nishan needs a change in mindset—of those responsible for implementing it and of the citizens. It also needs to assure that while the project uses the database of the legacy systems—electoral roll, IT PAN, ration card, passport et all, it has to deliberately avoid being inflicted by the maladies that ail these institutions.’ It also suggests that the project should be extremely citizen friendly and hence argues implementation of Nishan through the market-based model. "This", remarks Chopra, "also represents new economy employment opportunities for thousands across the country".

On hind sight, while the home ministry is still evaluating the TCS’ recommendations, it remains to be seen whether officialdom will ‘permit’ information technology to serve national interest or make the Nishan initiative another bothersome ritual for Indian citizens.

"A lot needs to be done before Nishan becomes a reality"

SHUBHENDU PARTH
in New Delhi

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