MOSCOW – Russian authorities will deliberate on a plan to create a new system of personal identification today at a special Cabinet meeting.

First Deputy Minister for Trade and Economic Development Andrei Sharonov is expected to present a report on the issue, which will highlight the perspectives of such system in the country.

Borrowing largely from the practice in over 60 countries where similar systems exist is that each person is assigned a unique personal identification number, which is given to him/her during birth registration, the authors of the report will propose assigning personal unique and non-changeable ID to every Russian citizen, which will be incorporated in all his/her documents, including passport and driving license.

Though similar systems already in Russia, most of them are inaccurate or duplicate one another because of the large number of government agencies involved in the compilation of the data. For instance, there are about 18 different state agencies, including the Tax and Internal Affairs Ministries, involved in the process today.

Government officials believe the creation of the system of personal registration will help to solve a wide range of problems, including social, political and economical issues. According to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, the system will help in improving medical care, pension and social systems, tax collection and facilitate the process of establishing law and order in the country.