Government cancels national ID tender, plans in-house management
Summary
The Nepalese government has cancelled the international tender for managing its National Identity Card system, opting instead for in-house operation despite technical challenges and delays affecting millions awaiting identity cards.
Key Points
- The government cancelled the international tender for National Identity Card system management and plans to operate the system internally.
- Technical capacity concerns and worsening delays in issuing national identity cards have emerged after the decision.
- Printing capacity has dropped drastically, with only around 3,000 cards produced daily compared to 16,000-18,000 previously.
- The shift aims to increase digital sovereignty, although experts worry about the department's readiness to manage the system independently.
