CONFIDENTIALITY URGED IN IMPLEMENTING DATA BANK PROJECT Kathmandu, 3 Aug.:- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has instructed line agencies to ensure confidentiality of the proposed data bank required to issue biometric National Identity Cards (NICs). The government is likely to announce a global bidding for the pilot project within this month, Anil Giri writes in The Kathmandu Post.. According to officials, the digitalised biometric smart card will contain a micro chip containing an individual's personal information and fingerprints. The card will have multiple applications and can be read by highly secure readers. The smart card itself will have background security features as well as software security containing all kinds of personal information of all citizens. The government has been negotiating with the World Bank for support after the first phase of the pilot project ends in 2014. The Home Ministry is gearing up for the multi-million dollar international bidding for the project that will see distribution of the ID cards to citizens above 16 years of age. The estimated cost of the project's first phase is around US $3.3 million and that amount will be enough to produce only 150,000 cards. Another US$8 million will be required for the second phase, the officials said. According to them, unlike Machine Readable Passports (MRP), the biometric cards are likely to be costlier as they will have more security options. The government spends US$3.59 per copy of the MRP. "Fool-proof security will be ensured (through the ID cards)," an official told the Post. The government has paid US$163,550 to an international consultant to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for the ID cards. According to a draft legislation on the ID cards, those under 16 years of age will not be given the ID cards, but they will have unique ID numbers, based on which proper cards will be issued later when they come of age. "Non-Nepalis working or living in Nepal will also get cards mentioning their status," said a Home Ministry official. In its comment to the Ministry of Finance, MoFA has said it must be ensured that foreigners or foreign companies must be barred from the NIC "personalisation centre" before going for the global bidding process. However, Home Ministry officials who are executing the project said that initially or during the execution of the project, foreigners will be needed to manage the data bank, which includes personal information of citizens. "The security of the data is a must," the comment forwarded by the MoFA on Wednesday said. "The NICs contain vital personal information of VIPs, senior government officials, civil servants and others. It should be ensured that the data are not tampered with, hooked or hacked." A bill on the ID card is awaiting a Cabinet nod. While the "personalisation centre" has been set up, the bid document is in its final stages and a new state of the art building will soon be built inside Singha Durbar, the Executive Director of the National ID Management Centre, Narendra Dahal, said. Dahal said they were concerned about security issues, but "others will not have access to the data." "But initially and during the phase of the pilot project, there is no other option but to assign foreigners. We will gradually strengthen the project and train Nepali technicians." The MoFA has also advised the Finance Ministry to hold extensive consultations with all stakeholders and government agencies before handing over the contract. Officials said the ID card project will help strengthen national security as it will resolve the problem of fake citizenship, control crime emanating from it and will also provide a more reliable identity to Nepali citizens. The IDs will be issued by using the latest database at the Election Commission (EC). The EC plans to complete its first digital electoral rolls with photos by another couple of months. nnnn