Government Prepares for Distribution of National Identity Cards / Rastriya Parichaya Patra through Local Level
In an effort to provide national identity cards to all citizens within a year, the Nepalese government has prepared for distribution of identity cards through the local level. However, due to lack of manpower, even the printed cards could not be distributed.
Current Status of Registration and Card Printing
As of Sunday, February 12, 2023, 1 crore 10 lakh 66 biometric details have been registered, out of which 890,000 cards were printed. Unfortunately, only 127,000 cards were distributed due to lack of manpower.
Distribution Campaign to be Initiated
Director Krishna Poudel stated that after an increase in card printing, distribution is going to be started as a campaign. Cards have already been printed and sent to 10 districts, with distribution commencing in Kanchanpur district. The department plans to distribute identity cards through the district administration as well as the local level.
Lack of Manpower Hindering Distribution
According to Director Paudel, the printed cards have not been distributed due to a lack of manpower. At the time of card distribution, the concerned person has to present himself and provide biometric details. The current manpower is not sufficient to distribute due to crowding during registration. Therefore, the department is taking the help of the local level to speed up the distribution process.
Increase in Registration Due to Mandatory ID for Passport
Since the identity card number is now mandatory for making and renewing passports, registration of details has increased. After registering the details, a 10-digit national identity card number will be provided. However, the further use of the identity card has not yet been decided.
Integrated Platform for Linking with Other Services
The government is preparing to link the national identity card with other services after registering the details of 11 million citizens with biometrics. An integrated platform has been created in collaboration with other agencies to link social security fund, incident registration, immigration, and transportation data. The spokesperson of the department is requesting the government to allocate funds to build the platform. This platform will make it easy to verify documents at the airport and identify those who have taken social security allowance based on the wrong documents.
