32 June, Gulmi. The government has introduced a policy to make national identity cards mandatory for social security allowances in 28 districts in the first phase from July 1st. In the first phase, the Terai district government has selected some hilly districts which are considered to be accessible and can be introduced immediately.
In the first phase, the government is going to implement the national identity card in the social security allowance. However, for the past few days, there has been a rush to make National Identity Cards at the District Administration Office, Gulmi.
In the last few days, the number of applications for national identity cards has doubled in the CDO office, which usually takes 40 to 80 people a day. Elderly people used to queue up in the morning to apply for National Identity Card.
Rumors that the national identity card is mandatory have led to the elderly in Gulmi rushing to the administration office to get a national identity card. As a result, they have to queue for hours.
After having to stand for a long time, there are senior citizens sitting on the floor and waiting for their turn. Manu Giri said that he came to the district administration in the morning because the media and some locals also said that ‘national identity card is needed’ to renew the old age allowance. “I came because I was afraid that if I don’t do it now, I will be left,” he said.
In the last one week of the administration, hundreds of elderly people who came from far away have been suffering in the name of national identity card. When many service recipients go to the administration office to make a national identity card at once, it has also affected the service recipient and the service flow. Currently, the administration office is registering national identity cards from 2 stations.
Frustration with incomplete information
The National Identity Card and Registration Department had said that the mandatory national identity card will be implemented in the Social Security Allowance from July of the next financial year. However, in the first phase, only a few districts were selected and it was not revealed which districts they were.
The people of remote areas have been affected by it. They responded that they had only heard in the media that the national identity card was mandatory for the allowance. The department has announced the names of 28 districts selected for the first phase only on 30th June.
Assistant Chief District Officer of District Administration Office, Gulmi, Hari Prasad Gayre, said that they also came to know that mandatory identity card will be implemented in the district only after Gulmi did not fall. “Earlier, after making a decision, notices were issued to all municipalities. The administration had no information’, he said.
Due to incomplete information, the district administration office, Gulmi, has informed that the district administration office, Gulmi, has informed that the district administration has not implemented mandatory identity cards in the first phase after the crowd of elderly, disabled and disabled people began to increase. On Thursday, the administration has issued a notice through its social network that there is no need to apply compulsory identity card for social security allowance in Gulmi.
Gayre said that they are providing services to the clients who came to the administration based on incomplete information. ‘After coming here, we will provide service. But disabled and senior citizens are suffering. We have prepared to add another station to serve them,’ said Gair.
Assistant Chief District Officer Hari Prasad Gayre said that since waste has already been collected from the ward level as part of a campaign in the district, now only distribution is left. He informed that he is coordinating with the department for this.
Gayre said that information will be collected in an easy way in coordination with the concerned municipality regarding senior citizens who are exempted from collecting information during the campaign. “Since it is not necessary to make a national identity card for the purpose of renewing the social security allowance within the district, it can be done at your own convenience,” he said.
In Gulmi district, about 2 lakh people have registered their details for obtaining national identity card. Out of which, 45,000 ID cards have been made, according to the administration.
