The government has also been directed to ensure that the cards are not made mandatory for citizens to avail any benefit.

Pichai is only the third chief executive officer of Google after Schmidt and co-founder Larry Page.

With the elevation of Sundar Pichai as the CEO of Google, the technology executives poured in their best wishes for the 43-year-old. Here's what they had to say:

Pichai aided his ascent by never trying to steal the limelight and advancing his agenda through quiet advocacy.

Google founder Larry Page will be the CEO of Alphabet while longtime Google executive Sundar Pichai will become CEO of Google's core business.

Pichai led successful efforts for difficult projects that were core to Google's continued financial success, namely Toolbar and Chrome.

Google founders Larry Page and Sergei Brin announced the creation of a parent company called Alphabet and elevated Pichai to CEO.

The India-born executive will have oversight over products such as search, maps, Google+, commerce, advertising and infrastructure, according to a Google spokesman.

The methodical, almost predictable decision to hire Satya Nadella as CEO is likely to reinforce perceptions that Microsoft Corp. is a plodding company reluctant to take risks as it competes against younger rivals who relish going out on a limb.

Microsoft Corp is preparing to unveil Satya Nadella as its new chief executive, even as investors and analysts are weighing how effective the 22-year veteran will be in re-igniting the company's mobile ambitions and satisfying Wall Street's hunger for cash.

Sundar Pichai, the 42-year-old head executive for Google Chrome and Apps, is the \"top choice\" for the position of Microsoft CEO and negotiations with him are on in full swing,reported SiliconANGLE, a media website that focusses on the technology industry.

The move has heightened speculation that the Chrome operating system eventually will supplant Android.

Sunder Pichai, an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur, is the first person to head Google's Android division other than Andy Rubin.

When Sundar Pichai reminded us of middle-class family values

Indian CEOs who head global technology companies

Newsmakers: Seventh Pay Commmission may offer 23% salary hike and more

PM Narendra Modi's tour of Google campus in Silicon Valley

Newsmakers: Pichai to be Google's new CEO, GST Bill passage and more

Milestones over 20 years of Google's history