Defence Secretary says at Tech Colloquium Conference :

National ID card system outdated

Govt plans to introduce electronic smart card system:

Hiran H. Senewiratne

The present national identity card system is outdated, and does not create interconnectivity and has many security issues. Therefore, the Government is planning to introduce an electronic smart card system to replace it from this year, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said.

“This new smart card system will create connectivity,” the Defence Secretary said at the Tech Colloquium Conference on the theme ‘The Role of IT in Nation Building’ in Colombo on Monday.

He said with the introduction of the new smart card system it could be used as an identity card as well as a multi-purpose card for other purposes. This will enable to prevent any security problems like duplication. This will be an advantage for security concerns to do their investigation and surveillance activities without any hazard, he said.

Rajapaksa said developed countries use more advanced surveillance systems than Sri Lanka by using new technology and without using physical presence such as Police and Army personnel. Therefore, this can create some inconvenience to the public to a larger extent, he said.

The Defence Secretary said developed countries used advanced security and surveillance systems than Sri Lanka without heavy police and military presence. Therefore electronic surveillance systems are linked to control rooms and these control rooms could dispatch security and military personnel to the relevant position.

He said they are now in the process of introducing ICT and new technology for surveillance systems like in developed countries. ICT could also bring an economic revival after defeating three decades of ethnic crisis and achieving true victory, he said.

“However, Sri Lanka is still not being developed to that level as we are heavily depending on physical systems, which inconvenience the public. The use of high and advanced technology and IT have brought a lot of achievements during the recent past and it almost did a revolutionary change in the war theater to suppress the most dangerous terrorist organization in the world,” he said.

Rajapaksa said several important sectors including tourism, education, agriculture and several others have not developed to their potential. “With the development of the infrastructure facilities throughout the country, ITC could be used effectively to improve and revive the economy. ITC could be used for key decision making in every sector like in the war theatre,” he said.

Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga said Sri Lanka’s IT literacy rate has increased from four percent to 25 percent during the last four years. The most important factor is to take the ITC to the village level.

Therefore, the Government has placed in its main agenda to develop ITC throughout the country, he said.

All Divisional Secretariats in the entire Colombo district are equipped with the new technology and any document could be obtained at any DS office by the public.

From this year, plans are under way to introduce a system to obtain Government service through credit cards and mobile phones, he said.