MaSSSoftech

NEW DELHI: Software major Microsoft on Friday expressed keenness to be part of the government of India's project of providing a unique identity

number to the citizens of the country, saying it is a "great initiative".

Microsoft wants to be part of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) project, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said here at a joint event with Nasscom. Gates will meet UIDAI Chairman Nandan Nilekani to take the possible association further. On his sixth visit to India, the billionaire businessman complimented the government on the project, saying "it's a great initiative".

The project aims to provide a Unique Identification Number to over a billion people of India. Gates said that banking and healthcare are two areas that can benefit from this project.

Gates also supported free exchange of talent between countries. "There should not be any restriction in the flow of ideas," he said, talking about immigration policies. When Nasscom president Som Mittal referred to US President Barack Obama's statement that his government would create more jobs in Buffalo than in Bangalore, the software architect said, "Fortunately it job market) is not a zero-sum market."

"I can't predict anything. Immigration policy (of the US) might actually get more strict. It would be great mistake," said Gates. On competition with rival Google, he said it is "fun competition”. Software giant Microsoft has recently launched its own search engine - Bing - to take on the rival Google but at the same time he complimented them saying "Google has done great work". Gates said, "When you are a distant two, you have to try harder ... Who knows, we can make it better and faster than anybody else."

Talking about technology, he said, "I am not a 24-hour technology person ... I am not always on computers and I read a lot."