Nagarik App officially launched in Nepal: Overview and Features
Nepal Government has officially launched the Nagarik app on the occasion of National ICT Day. Now, Nepalese will be able to use a single app for various government-related services. While it is quite capable as things stand, the full-fledged application is still under construction. So, let’s take a closer look at the impact of the Nagarik app launch in Nepal.
Nagarik App Overview:
In case you missed it, the Nagarik app was available in beta version on Android and iOS from January 2021. It gathered quite a stir on the internet when users discovered that they could obtain their PAN without having to visit any government office.
So, what is Nagarik app?
In the current context, it is the Nepalese-only application that eliminates the hassle of carrying legislative, personal, or educational data and documents. The following are some of the services that the government has incorporated with this app:
- Issuance of PAN card and details about tax clearance to the government.
- Getting a police clearance report.
- Keeping records of your citizenship, passport, educational certificate, and voter identity card.
- Viewing transaction details of citizen investment fund, social security fund, provident fund, and loan details.
- “Hello Sarkar” feature where you can directly complain to the government is also available.
- It can be helpful to apply for Public Service Commission examinations, driving license, and other governmental services.
- This app now allows you to pay your vehicle’s taxes and renewal fees online.
- You can use “Mero Kitta” to check your land registration certificate and pay land registration taxes.
New bank accounts, form fill-up via QR Codes
This is something fresh and exciting. A QR code can now be taken to use for validating KYC and fill out other forms. It means that you can now open up a bank account by scanning a QR code. This eliminates the difficulty and time-consuming procedures involved in filling out either regulatory or financial paperwork.
Nagarik app’s API is available for the banks, allowing them to auto-validate the identity on KYC forms. Siddhartha Bank and Nepal Bank Limited have already launched this service.
How does the app collect our data?
The application obtains its data from the major government databases. For example, the particulars of a citizen are shown via the Home Ministry’s records. To date, Home Ministry has a total of 21.5 million Nepalese citizenship details. Similarly, data for voting cards can be drawn from the Election Commission’s pool of 15.5 million voters. Furthermore, the Department of Passports manages the database of more than 6.5 million passports.
Is the Nagarik app really safe and easy?
It seems to be perfectly safe and appropriate for use. Any time you attempt to log in to the app, it sends you a specific OTP code. The documents go through auto-verification after you fill in all of the information. Similarly, when you want to share the information with someone else, the pop-up message simply asks for your permission to share the displayed details. As a result, you can rest assured that it is safe.
In addition, if you believe there are errors in your documents, you can request for correction by specifying the field to be corrected.
What’s present and what’s coming?
The following services are currently available within the app:
- PAN
- Police Clearance Report
- Malpot
- Health Insurance Board
- Education Certificate
- Citizen Investment Trust
- Provident Fund
- Social Security Fund
- “Hello Sarkar” Complains
- Citizenship
- Passport
- Voter Card
Furthermore, the government intends to include more than 60 governmental services in the application.
If added, which feature could really help?
If the government could incorporate a feature that allows users to easily identify and contact people who might have been susceptible to COVID-19, it would be the icing on the cake.
Conclusion
With the official launch of the Nagarik app, the ruling party must remain optimistic about digitization for economic growth. The government is implementing complex projects in digitization, and this requires them to place the citizen’s experience at the center of the effort—rather than viewing it as an IT project.
This app can completely change the way people experience public services, but it requires addressing issues in a pragmatic manner that can help create a pleasant and fruitful experience for all stakeholders.
- Meanwhile, check out our review of the Honor Band 6.
