President Medvedev has ordered the creation of a multi-use card, that will act as ID, passport, insurance, drivers license and debit card.

The cards will contain micro-chips.  It’s part of a plan for a “…better digital culture…”.  A new national payment system will be created, so people can use the IDs for bill payments.

The system could cost Russia $5 billion, and it’s hoped to get it up and running by January 2012.