KARACHI, July 10: The National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) has recommended to the federal government a ‘golden handshake’ for about 3,500 ‘surplus employees’ who were appointed in the district registration office of the old national identity cards system.
Talking to a group of journalists from Karachi at the authority’s headquarters in Islamabad, Nadra Chairman Saleem Moin disclosed that at least 11,200 people had been working with the institution. Of them, some 3,500 employees belonged to the old system, he added.
They were, obviously, absorbed in Nadra with the introduction of the computerized NICs. He said: “All those appointed by Nadra are contractual employees whereas those associated with the old system are permanent ones.”
He maintained that Nadra had to grant them a raise in accordance with the announcement to this effect by the government and the amount would come to tune of Rs31 million.
Although, he said, these employees were imparted training of the computerized system, it’s unfortunate that some 150 of them could be able to synchronize themselves with the modern system. The remaining ones were now useless for Nadra despite the fact that Nadra had arranged many training courses to enable them improve their skills.
“We have now put them in the ‘surplus pool’ and requested the federal government to offer them a golden handshake,” Mr Moin said, adding: “I can run Nadra with 5,000 employees but it is a public service-oriented organization and I don’t want to lay off certain skilled and efficient employees.”
Nadra has started generating revenues and its major source is verification of data. The access to Nadra’s database is provided to embassies, banks, mobile companies and other concerns where information about a person is required. He described the passed on information as ‘limited access’, and said that a beneficiary of the service could not alter the data.
He said that Nadra estimated Rs1.8 billion in revenues.
Mr Moin also disclosed that Nadra was set to launch two new projects. “We are going to launch the Vehicle Identification and Tracking System (VITS) and ‘Kiosk’, which pertains to payment of utility bills,” he added.
The VITS is being introduced to curb vehicle-lifting and tracking down a lifted/snatched vehicle through a centrally-controlled tracker chip that could be obtained by a vehicle-owner to get it fixed on the windscreen. A particular number, to be called ‘Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN)’ would be allotted to each vehicle. The software of the project has been designed and developed by Nadra itself whereas the chip has been imported.
He said that a chip, which would be a permanent laminated document, would contain particulars of the registered vehicle it belonged to. Information about that particular vehicle, including ownership history, tax payments, endorsement, etc. would be available to law-enforcement agencies through online access. This access could be provided through existing communication networks in mobile or field environments.
This system would serve as an effective security tool, and a deterrent against theft, car-snatching and criminal activities. The VIN would link Nadra’s existing network and data warehouse infrastructure which would provide connectivity and information access to all provinces through one common database.
The Nadra chief said that it would be mandatory for every vehicle-owner to get his vehicle registered with the VITS. Every police check post, major bridges and all entry/exit points of cities/towns would be equipped with trans-receivers and antennas for the purpose of scrutinizing every passing vehicle. The vehicles without a chip would automatically be photographed and checked, while the others would be monitored through the chip.
He said that the project would initially be launched in Karachi soon. “Meetings were held with the Sindh governor, chief secretary and other officials who are keen to having the system. We are preparing to launch the project soon,” he added.
Mr Moin said that VITS registration fee had not been decided as yet but it was likely to be either Rs500 or Rs1,000 for cars. It would be a one-time payment, he added. He said that Nadra had estimated that 109 antennas across the metropolis would be needed. “We estimate Rs750 million in revenue through the VITS registration fee. However, the expenses would be higher than the amount,” he claimed.
He said that the Kiosk Pilot Project would be launched in Karachi with 25-30 machines to be installed, and these would be activated on August 14. The number of these ATM-like machines might be increased to 50 by December, he hoped. The machines and software had been developed locally, he added.
In the first phase, the machines will be installed at Nadra Swift Registration Centres (NSRCs) and subsequently at customer care centres of the utility companies. The machines would be installed in the cluster of 2-3 and each machine will have the capacity of handling 300-350 customers in 24 hours.
Nadra plans to install 500 such machines in the country and to cover even tehsil-level areas with in a period of one year.
The system, being introduced for the first time in the country, encompasses payment of utility bills in cash, although the payment could be made through cheques, ATM, credit/debit cards, etc,. One can benefit from this system by getting himself registered at any NSRC. He can also nominate some other person to make payment on his behalf.
Mr Moin said that while a contract in this regard with the SSGC had already been signed, negotiations with PTCL and KESC were now in final stage.
