Govt. mandates NIC and Passport numbers for public IT systems

The Government has directed Heads of key State Departments to update its Information Technology (IT) system to boost efficiency and quality of public services.

The move comes following a Cabinet decision on 5 August, which involves mandatory inclusion of National Identity Card (NIC) numbers, Passport numbers and Company Registration numbers in all relevant Government IT systems.

The Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies Ministry on Monday issued a circular, addressing all Secretaries to Ministers, Chief Secretaries of Provincial Councils, Heads of Departments/District Secretaries, Heads of State Corporations, Statutory Boards, Universities and Higher Education Institutions and Chairpersons of State-owned Enterprises to ensure compliance with the mandatory inclusion of information related to company/business registration number along with NIC and passport numbers with nationality of individuals.

It also added that all Heads of Institutions should ensure to take action during next year to develop the existing IT systems and IT systems being at the developing or planning stages and to include requisite financial provisions in this respect into the Budget Estimates for the year 2025 and the Medium Term Budgetary Framework for the year 2026 and 2027 in terms of Section 03.1(i) I of the National Budget Circular No. 02/2024 dated 12 August 2024.

In addition, it directs all Heads of institutions to take action to comply with the provisions of the Personal Data Protection Act No. 07 of 2022 and the instructions provided under the Circular No. MOT/2023/02 dated 21 September 2023 of the Ministry of Technology.

It added that the circular was issued with the approval of the Registration of Persons, Immigration and Emigration, Registrar of Companies and Registrar General’s Department.