PAANCHTHAR, Oct 15: The personal details of 46,000 people have been collected so far for the distribution of National Identity Cards (NIC) which will be a first in Nepal's history.
The Home Ministry is planning to conduct the first level distribution of NICs within mid-November.
Paanchthar is the first district to collect details for the NIC. The collection began from mid-June. Baburam Khatri, field office in-charge in Phidim, informed that details could not be collected as much as expected. According to him, migrant workers and locals living at district headquarters have not filled the NIC forms.
Over 65,000 register details for national ID cards in Taplejung
Details are yet to be collected from Kummayak, Tumbena, Miklajung and Falgunanda Rural Municipalities.
Under the first level, NICs will be distributed to the locals of Paanchthar and to government workers. The ministry had targeted providing NICs to 110,000 people in the district.
The details can be collected through the District Administration Office, Paanchthar and Area Administration Office, Rabi
Khatri informed that 19 operators and five verification officers have been deployed for the purpose. It takes 15 to 20 minutes to fill in the details of one person.
The decision to distributing NICs was taken in fiscal year 2009/10. Those with citizenship certificates can acquire NICs. The project is being conducted with a loan provided by the Asian Development Bank.