KATHMANDU, June 14: The government has decided to make the national identity card mandatory for receiving social security allowances. It will be effective in 28 districts with effect from July 16 as per a recent Cabinet decision.

With this decision, the district administration offices are thronged by those in need of the ID card. Director General at the National ID Card and Registration Department, Yubraj Kattel, shared that the scheme would be enforced from July 16 even for the renewal of social security schemes in 28 districts.

The concerned district administration offices were mobilizing additional resources at the local level for the distribution of national ID cards, he added. The districts where this provision has been implemented are: Jhapa, Rautahat, Rupandehi, Morang, Sarlahi, Kapilvastu, Sunsari, Kathmandu, Dang, Udayapur, Bhaktapur, Banke, Saptari, Lalitpur, Bardiya, Siraha, Sindhuli, Surkhet, Dhanusha, Makwanpur, Kailali, Mahottari, Chitwan, Kanchanpur, Bara, Kaski, Parsa, and Tanahu.

The Department has launched the distribution of national ID cards since the past four years in 73 districts. On Wednesday, the Department, however, issued a notice, stating that the people above 90 years and those living with disabilities need not produce national ID cards while receiving social security allowances.