Russians may receive universal identity...

The Kremlin press service said on Wednesday that President Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin would present a draft law "on a national payment system" to parliament by March 31.

Medvedev proposed creating a national payment system late in 2009, and ordered the law to be drawn during a meeting on Russia"s financial development on February 9.

The plan is to issue plastic identity cards with microchips containing the holder"s personal information and combining the features of a social security card and a bank card, enabling people to pay taxes, draw pensions and buy products in shops.

MOSCOW, February 17 (RIA Novosti)