Presenting the Budget in the Assembly, Finance Minister KN Balagopal said the SIR process has triggered widespread concern among religious minority communities in the State.
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: The Kerala government on Thursday allocated ₹10 crore in the State Budget 2026 to implement the Nativity Card project, a key administrative reform aimed at addressing concerns linked to the SIR process and repeated citizenship-related verification procedures.
Presenting the Budget in the Assembly, Finance Minister KN Balagopal said the SIR process has triggered widespread concern among religious minority communities in the State. He added that the implementation of a Nativity Card scheme by the Kerala government would address and ease these concerns.
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The Nativity Card scheme had earlier received in-principle approval from the Kerala Cabinet last month, with the Revenue Department issuing an order to initiate preparatory steps. The Budget allocation now provides financial backing for full-scale implementation.
The proposed card is designed as a permanent, photo-bearing identification document certifying a person as a native of Kerala. It will replace the existing practice of obtaining nativity certificates each time they are required for government services.
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The authorities have indicated that the card may later include enhanced security features such as holograms and embedded chips. A sample design has already been reportedly prepared.
The Tahsildar will serve as the issuing authority, and eligibility conditions will remain unchanged from those currently applicable for nativity certificates.
While the government projects the scheme as a solution to long-standing administrative difficulties faced by residents, the move has also drawn political criticism, with the BJP questioning its legality and arguing that identity-related matters fall within the Union government’s domain.
Published: 29 Jan 2026, 11:12 am IST
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