Nadra develops secure citizen database
ISHFAQULLAH SHAWL
ISLAMABAD: National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) has developed a reliable and secure citizen database, which would ensure transparency and fairness in government affairs and lead to e-governance.
Once e-government was being considered mere a dream, but today Nadra has turned it into a reality, said a top official of Nadra here on Thursday.
Registration of citizens and stacking up information of citizens is important but not enough, while evaluating consolidated trends and building public policy blocks on citizens data is the true transformation of e-government programmes, he said.
He said that Nadra is catalyst in transforming e-government agenda in Pakistan. E-Government developed by Nadra will have an effective role in eradicating corruption from the society and would help government institutions ensure transparency by using cutting edge technology solutions, which would result in improved services delivery, the Nadra official said. NADRA has one of the largest biometric databases with over 78 million adults and 13 million children registered, which helped the government in many social programmes.
It effectively handled the initiatives like Benazir Income Support Programme, Cash Disbursement Programme for Internally Displaced Persons, Machine Readable Passport Issuance, Electronic Seafarer Cards Programme, e-Arms License Initiative, Motorway Toll Collection using e-toll application, identity card verification through SMS, integrated border management solutions and biometric access control systems in a transparent manner.
He said that the world has confidence in Nadra and it has earned more than Rs 260 million from different contracts with foreign countries for providing services. These earnings would further increase as more contracts with foreign countries are in the pipeline, he said.
Nadra earned Rs 234.84 million from Nigeria, Kenya, Sudan and Bangladesh for services rendered during the last five years and Rs 19.53 million was received from foreign missions of Saudi Arabia in Pakistan for verification services during the last five years, he said. He said that the amount was utilised to meet expenses of Nadra.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:6/11/2010
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