On January 15, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MoCIT) of the Government of Nepal has finally launched the Beta version of the ‘Nagarik App’ (Mobile App) to deliver services online. The app has been awaited much since the government working on this app for the last three years. Although, it has been a long hearing about the ‘Nagarik App’ is now ready to be used for e-governance. Minister Parvat Gurung inaugurated the app at an event in the ministry. Beta version signifies it is still in a development phase, or in the test phase and its final version is expected to release in the next three months. This app aims to provide all government related services through a single online e-governance platform. Out of 64 major governmental works or services, 40 are available now. This app was built under the Digital Nepal Framework project. Government planning to provide government services like applying for a PAN registration, to viewing details of the taxes that have been submitted. The app plan to provide all government services digitally so that people need not visit the Government offices to get those services.
Nagarik App
Nagarik App is available to download in the Play Store for Android users and in App Store for the iPhone user which is currently in Beta version. Though it is the early version it might be helpful for some services. However, many people have found difficulty in registration and mobile number verification. Also, the information of some people is found different. This Nagarik App being in the development phase all the bugs would be resolve in upcoming updates and Nagarik App would have a new fresh design, looks in its completion. For now, some limited government services would be provided through Nagarik App. This app is a reflection of the digital face of the Government of Nepal. This app helps to link people to the respective department or service delivery agency. Nagarik App would function to integrate many departments and government entities that have already gone online and synchronize the service delivery process.
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| Nagarik App logo |
How Nagarik App works??
The app would provide services based on various details from citizenship registration, PAN registration, and passport registration mechanisms collected by different government bodies to maintain the data of each and every citizen on the app. A digital identity of the citizens has been created for the app through details of 21.5 million citizens registered at the Ministry of Home Affairs and Fingerprint and photos of 15.5 million citizens on the server of the Election Commission. When a citizen seeks services s/he need to register their phone number and citizenship number on the app at once, it will be activated for almost all government services. Now, only about 50% of services are available since it is a beta version, all the services available in the next three months once its complete version released.
Note: The main requirement for the Nagarik App is the phone number register in your citizenship card and the number of your citizenship card including your date of birth according to your citizenship card and date of issue of the citizenship card and district from which you received the citizenship card.
The government is attempting to manage to provide the service free of cost in mobile data for the users of NTC (Nepal Telecom) and Ncell. It has said that it would cost while downloading from the play store or app store while the use of the application would be free using mobile data for NTC and Ncell users when government-managed consulting with the Network provider and it's attempting to do so.
Benefits of Nagarik App
This app expects to end the hassles, the citizen has been facing to take government services submitting details like citizenship, passport, company registration, academic certificates, etc. Resulting in saving time and cost expense in considerable amount in taking the services. All the decentralized serves provided by the local government now can be available through this app.
Currently, the government of Nepal has several mechanisms for each service without any integration among each system even not recognize another system thus had to visit each office for each service. But now they are going to integrate all those services from one window either using Nagarikta ID or Mobile number. They would themselves gather all the information needed when the mobile number (should be registered with the person whose Nagarikta information is going to be added) and Nagarikta number, issued data including date of birth of the user are entered after which users would be ready for the service request. No need to enter user information, documents again and again separately for different services. Users can take those services online from anywhere.
Those services which do not require people's presence in Government offices come under the scope of the Nagarik App. In the first phase only a few or about half of services provided from the Nagarik App while they shall integrate other services gradually.
Major services integrated with the Nagarik App now are:
- PAN Registration
- Local Level (Gaupalika or Nagarpalika) Information
- Educational Documents
- Citizen Investment Trust (Nagarik Lagani Kosh)
- Employees Provident Fund (Sanchaya Kost)
- Community Security Fund (Samajik Surakshya Kosh)
- Public Service Commission (Lok Sewa Aayog)
- Company Registration
The further upcoming services to come in the future are:
- Passport (MRP)
- National Identity Card
- Driving License
- Wealth document
- Employment
Further, citizens/users can complain about the issues or any concern directly with the government through Mero Gunaso which is an extended form of the much reputed Hello Sarkar service.
Nagarik App is ahead for Good service and good governance comparing to the existing service providing mechanism. Let’s expect the government service delivery and people’s lives would better with the increased use of Nagarik App. Also, hope that it would bring transparency, efficiency, and accountability. The use of digital technology would make us realize our dream of prosperity. Nagarik App helps in delivering public service in speedy and effective, easy and transparent by digitizing and integrating all government services. This ends staying in queues for public service to some extent for the citizens using internet service with the online service begin. No matter the time of day, even on public holidays people would get their work done through an automation system in the Nagarik App integrated.
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