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| Sunday, 17 October 2004 |
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NICs on fast mode from December 1 by Ananda Kannangara The Department for Registration of Persons (DRP) is expected to install 150 new computer terminals and deploy 15 additional staff to initiate the 2.5 million National Identity Card (NIC) issuing program, scheduled to commence on December 01. According to statistics available in the Department Head Office at Keppetipola Mawatha, Colombo 5, approximately 2.5 million Sri Lankans do not possess NICs. In an interview with the Sunday Observer DRP Commissioner P.B. Abeykoon said the reason for non-possessing NICs by many people in the country was mainly non-replacement of lost, disfigured or invalidated identity cards. However the Commissioner admitted that large numbers of people in the country, especially residents of remote areas and in the estate sector have never obtained identity cards due to personal reasons. NICs will be mandatory for voting at future elections after a special Bill passed in Parliament recently. Accordingly around 2.5 million new identity cards have to be issued by the Department within a period of 12 months. Commissioner Abeykoon also said that a large number of people in the North and East who have no NICs will be able to apply through special mobile services to be launched with the assistance of Divisional Secretaries, people's organisations and public servants. He also said that the Department will meet the members of the Monitoring Committee, appointed by Parliament to expedite the matter and predicted that issuing 15,000 NICs a day will not be a difficult task, if the required workforce and modern equipment are available. "However any person who does not possess an identity card, must inform the nearest Police station and thereafter apply for a new one through the Divisional Secretariat and the area gramaseva niladari," he added. |
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