Home Minister Lekhak pledges not to allow citizens’ data to be misused

Kathmandu / Jan 17: Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak asserted that national identity card was indispensable for good governance, prompt service delivery and crime control.

Responding to the queries by the parliamentarians regarding the national identity card in today’s meeting of State Affairs and Good Governance Committee under the House of Representatives (HoR), Minister Lekhak laid emphasis on the national identity card for the effective implementation of national and international commitments related to money laundering.

Reiterating the government’s sensitivity to the protection of biological and personal details (data) of citizens included in the National Identity Card, Minister Lekhak expressed his commitment to protect these details.

“Citizen’s personal information should be protected with the state, but we will not allow anymore to get it misused”, he said, “Government pays attention to data security.”

Implementation of the national identity card that had been put forward as a state policy after a thorough study was mandatory, the Home Minister clarified, adding that the national identity card was not mandatory for senior citizens, children and people living with disability.

He urged the parliamentarians to play a role in assuring the general public about the collection, processing and printing of National Identity Card details and the security and storage of data.

Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs Gokarnamani Duwadi and Director General of the National Identity Card and Vital Registration Department Yuvaraj Kattel briefed about the activities taking place in regard to the implementation of the National Identity Card.

Lawmaker Hridayram Thani called for sensitivity from all sides to the security of their personal data/details updated in the system.

Parliamentarian Sarita Prasain emphasized that the state should assure the citizens about the security of the data containing in the National Identity Card.

Krishna Gopal Shrestha, another member of the committee, said that the government should explain the need and importance of the national identity card to the citizens.

President of the Committee, Ramhari Khatiwada urged the government to pay attention towards the security of citizens’ details and data.RSS