Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is considering inducting Nandan Nilekani, Co-chairman of Infosys Technologies Ltd, India’s second largest software company, into his team. He will not have charge of any department or ministry, but will be offered the rank of a Cabinet Minister.

According to highly-placed sources, Nilekani is seen as best suited to guide the UPA’s ambitious project to provide every Indian with a unique identity card. In its manifesto, the Congress had said this would be possible after the publication of the national population register in 2011. Besides addressing security concerns, the UID project will overhaul and direct the delivery mechanism for public goods and services to intended beneficiaries.

Nilekani’s name had earlier been discussed as a member of the Planning Commission (with the rank of a Minister of State). But it is now felt that a project of the scale and magnitude of the UID requires a professional of the stature and calibre of Nilekani.

When contacted, Nilekani said he did not want to comment on this issue. “I do not want to get into this,” he told The Indian Express. But sources said he did discuss the project, and is agreeable to taking it on, given the opportunity.

“He does not desire to be a union minister and handle departments or ministries, but he is open to implementing a national project of such magnitude and importance in a time-bound manner,” a friend of Nilekani, who did not wish to be quoted, said.

A Cabinet Minister rank is seen as necessary to ensure Nilekani gets the necessary independence and authority to implement the project, especially since it will require immense coordination with the ministries of Home, Labour, Rural Development and Information Technology, besides the Planning Commission.

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