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National ID project: Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee gives Nepal government all clear, directs it to move ahead

National-Identity-Card (1)

Kathmandu, April 28

The parliamentary Public Accounts Commission has given the KP Oli government the permission to move ahead with the national ID card distribution process.

The committee had held discussions with PM Oli and Home Minister Shakti Basnet after a sub-committee constituted to study ID card management issues submitted its study report.

The sub-committee report has given the National ID Card Management Centre, tasked with the project, an all-clear for now, saying it has found no evidence so far of its involvement in irregularities related to the project. There’s a risk that the donor associated with the project may pull out grant assistance in case of delay in the project’s execution, it said. The sub-panel formed under lawmaker Ramhari Khatiwada urged the centre and the Home Ministry to extend the deadline for inviting tender bids for the project. It advised the government to take adequate decisions vis-a-vis the project taking security sensibilities into account. The sub-committee said the study did not cover security sensitivities.

The parliamentary committee had called PM Oli, Home Minister Basnet, centre’s director-general and chiefs of security agencies for discussions after receiving complaints regarding alleged irregularities at the project and possible breach of privacy of ID card holders.

The Asian Development Bank has provided a grant of Rs 800 million to Nepal for developing national ID cards. Issues related to privacy and security of individuals came to the fore after the decision to hand over the task of publishing IDs to foreign company/companies.

On the occasion, PM Oli said he will not let any irregularity take place at the project. ADB has already specified the amounts to be spent on certain topics, so there’s no chance of irregularities, he claimed. Oli said home ministry will take security sensitivities seriously.

Home Minister Basnet claimed issuance of national IDs is in the interest of Nepalis and Nepal. There’s a need to implement the project effectively, he said.

The committee has endorsed the sub-committee’s report on the national ID project.

On the occasion, committee members had suggested the government to be careful about irregularities and security issues.

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