The government has made it mandatory to have National ID card number or card itself in some public services like personal income tax payment, driving license registration form fill-up and company registration and its renewal in all 77 districts from July 16, 2024.

Making different datelines public for the use of National ID in Nepal Gazette on Monday for taking different public services, the government has publicised phase-wise date for the use and implementation of the card's number by the ordinary citizens.

According to Acting Secretary Jhakka Prasad Acharya for the Ministry of Home Affairs, the national ID will now come into compulsory use in all 77 districts from January 14, 2025 for getting services related to bank and financial institutions, telephone and SIM cards, social security fund, and real-estate business.

Likewise, according to the notice, national ID number will come into compulsory use for getting services related to social security, health insurance and pensions in 11 districts in Solukhumbu, Rasuwa, Manang, Mustang, Kalikot, Mugu, Humla, Dolpa, Bajhang, Bajura and Darchula from July 16, 2025.

Further, the government has made the use of the card's number compulsory in 38 districts for getting services related to social security, health insurance and pensions to all citizens.

These 38 districts include -- Taplejung, Panchthar, Ilam, Sankhuwasabha, Tehrathum, Bhojpur, Dhankuta, Khotang, Okhaldhunga, Dolakha, Ramechhap, Dhading, Nuwakot, Kavrepalanchok, Sindhupalchok, Gorkha, Lamjung, Nawalparasi (East), Syangja, and Nawalparasi (West).

Similarly, other districts include Gulmi, Palpa, Arghakhanchi, Myagdi, Baglung, Parbat, Rukum (East), Rolpa, Pyuthan, Salyan, Rukum (West), Jajarkot, Dailekh, Jumla, Achham, Doti, Dadeldhura, and Baitadi.

Yubaraj Katel, Director General and Joint Secretary for the Department of National ID and Civil Registration (DoNIDCR), said that the national identity card was being made mandatory to increase its utility and to eliminate duplication in social security allowances.

"Currently, a national identity card or its number is mandatory for obtaining a passport. The government expects that applying the same rule to social security will increase its uptake," said DG Katel.

To facilitate this, the Ministry has already decided to deploy additional over 400 employees to the 28 districts designated in the first phase to assist with the process, he said.

Katel said that more than 17 million people across the country have already obtained their national identity card numbers, so making it mandatory for public services will not cause much inconvenience to most people.

In the first phase, the national identity card has been made mandatory in 28 districts for social security, health insurance, and pensions from July 16, 2024.

These districts include Jhapa, Rautahat, Rupandehi, Morang, Sarlahi, Kapilvastu, Sunsari, Kathmandu, Dang, Udayapur, Bhaktapur, and Banke.

Similarly, the requirement has been made mandatory for Saptari, Lalitpur, Bardiya, Siraha, Sindhuli, Surkhet, Dhanusha, Makwanpur, Kailali, Mahottari, Chitwan, Kanchanpur, Bara, Kaski, Parsa, and Tanahun districts.

The Rising Nepal