Kathmandu, Feb. 2 -- The government last year made the National Identity Card mandatory for receiving social security funds along with pensions and other government services and provisions. But after the decision was widely criticised, the government decided to defer the implementation of the decision.

The government in May last year had decided to make National ID compulsory to provide social security benefits and retirement pensions. On June 24, however, it announced that the decision would be implemented in 28 districts in the first phase from mid-July that year. But lawmakers criticised the decision in Parliament saying that the government was trying to make it mandatory without first issuing the National ID numbers and cards.

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