Need for Smart identity cards
THE National Identity Registration Wing (NIDW) of the Election Commission is issuing paper laminated NID cards to the citizens who are 18 years of age or above. The existing cards lack security features and can easily be forged. This was highlighted by the recent haul of more than 51,000 fake NID cards and has become a major headache for policymakers. The incident has merely reinforced the security loopholes in the system and brought into question the usefulness of NID system in its present state. With NID cards becoming the document of choice for availing a vast array of services ranging from new cell phone registrations to availing financial services, the absence of 'off line' verification threatens the validity of the system.
As reported in a Daily Star report on April 20 that it requires regular, off-the-shelf technology like computers, laminating machines and printers to produce fake ID cards. Hence, the introduction of “Smart” NID cards is the logical step in the right direction to make forgery near impossible. Currently, the weakness of the system is that there is no system to authenticate these paper laminated NID cards. Until the cards are equipped with a computer chip, the proposed database of 92 million people will not bring benefits to policymaking, nor enable citizens' access to a whole range of social benefit programmes and other services that the NID programme hopes to deliver on.
Indeed, Smart cards are being utilised by some Asian countries to great benefit. Thailand has introduced agriculture credit cards to 4 million rice farmers. The Smart card allows the card holder to purchase agriculture inputs using a credit card that can be paid back once harvest is complete. Similarly it has an “energy” card that helps taxi drivers to purchase subsidised compressed natural gas for vehicles.
Pakistan is implementing a programme called NADRA. It has successfully introduced a Smart card targeting 2.1 million government pensioners. Elderly pensioners had been facing great difficulty in withdrawing their monthly pension, primarily due to “long unmanaged queues, accessibility issues, manual record keeping by disbursement agencies, restricted timings and limited outreach of designated disbursement agencies.” The disbursement system designed under NADRA is an automated system that allows for transactions to be made electronically that is both secure and safe through a franchise of 6,000 “e-sahulat” outlets initially. The project will be expanded to bank branches and post offices in the next phase.
In Bangladesh, a handful of agencies like the National Board of Revenue and Bangladesh Bank are integrated with the NIDW with proper verification system. The issuance of digitalised or Smart NID card is the logical step forward to maximise the benefits that can be derived from the NID system. It has the potential to fundamentally change the way people derive benefit from various service sectors. All the Smart card holders will have bank accounts. It will pave the way the government pays dividends for various social safety net programmes. For instance, farmers are generally deprived of government supplied fertiliser due to pilferage at various levels. Were authorities to send money for fertiliser through the NID account, farmers could easily collect the cash using Smart card that would operate through ATM machines at village level.
The transformation of existing laminated NID cards into Smart cards involves inclusion of a chip. Given that poor countries like Bangladesh are hoping to make a database of 92 million citizens with corresponding 92 million Smart cards, duration is of great import. Hence, having a shelf life of at least a decade with a chip that can accommodate more information with passage of time is essential.
The Smart card would store citizen data in two groups. First is the basic information. The other part would include biometric data which would make the NID Smart. Facial recognition is basically a digital photograph of the holder. Given that people's facial features change with time, a provision could be made allowing citizens to update their photograph and other relevant information before they get a new Smart card. Security features include digital prints of four fingers of both hands. The “chip” inside a card would have sufficient space for additional information which will be stored in applications and these will form the basis of authentication from EC which will be tied up to its database.
The amendment of NID Registration Act in the parliament on October 6, 2013 has given impetus to NID system implementation in the country. The Smart NID card can very effectively help the government maintain the privacy of citizens' data -- inclusion of data privacy and data security feature an important aspect of amendment of the NID Act. In the final analysis of things, the Smart card has the potential to greatly expand the horizon of governance and improve service delivery system in Bangladesh. For the poor to have genuine access to safety net programmes designed for them, it is imperative that the government introduces the Smart NID cards sooner than later.
The writer is Assistant Editor, The Daily Star.
Comments