Completing the infrastructure for issuing personal identification numbers.

Completing the legal framework for issuing personal identification numbers was identified as a key task in 2014 by the Steering Committee for the overall project to simplify administrative procedures, citizen documents, and related databases for population management in the period 2013-2020, abbreviated as the Steering Committee for Project 896.

The second meeting of the Steering Committee for Project 896 was held on the morning of February 11th at the Government Headquarters, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Head of the Steering Committee for Project 896.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chaired the meeting. Photo: VGP

At the meeting, the Steering Committee members reviewed the implementation of the Project in 2013, the key tasks for 2014, the basic contents of the overall plan for implementing the project in the 2014-2020 period, the draft Law on Citizen Identification, and discussed related issues.

According to the assessment of the Steering Committee Office, in fulfilling the tasks of the Project and creating a complete legal basis for the issuance of personal identification numbers and the national population database, the Ministry of Justice has actively finalized the draft Law on Civil Registration to submit to the National Assembly for consideration and approval this year.

The Ministry of Public Security has been finalizing the draft Decree amending and supplementing Decree No. 90/2010/ND-CP on the National Population Database, soliciting opinions from ministries, sectors, localities, and the public; and has established a Drafting Committee and an Editorial Team to develop the draft Decree on the issuance, management, and use of personal identification numbers.

The Ministry of Public Security has also actively coordinated with other ministries and agencies to develop a feasibility project for the National Population Database, focusing on synchronized and efficient investment, avoiding scattered spending.

The Ministry of Information and Communications has completed a review of the existing information technology infrastructure, with many specific proposals on data utilization plans developed by ministries, sectors, and localities in the implementation of Project 896. To date, 13 agencies have completed the systematization of administrative procedures, citizen documents, and databases related to population management.

Based on media reports and public feedback regarding the Hanoi City Police's collection of 32 pieces of resident information, which is considered cumbersome and wasteful, the Standing Committee of the Steering Committee for Project 896 proposes that the Ministry of Public Security temporarily suspend this collection; and at the same time, report to the Steering Committee for its opinion on the fact that some localities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nghe An, Tay Ninh, Da Nang, Hai Phong, and Soc Trang have been and are implementing the construction of resident databases in their areas.

At the meeting, many opinions suggested accelerating the construction of the national population database, as a basis for building specialized databases and reducing unnecessary costs. However, the exploitation of information fields in this shared database requires clear hierarchical access control.

According to a representative from the Ministry of Public Security, the current citizen identity card database is mainly stored manually, is not connected to or shares information with the national population database, and the issuance, management, and use of identity cards have not met the requirements for simplifying administrative procedures and paperwork and implementing e-government. Therefore, a Law on Citizen Identity Cards needs to be developed.

Taking fingerprints to renew an expired national identity card for a citizen facing mobility difficulties. (Illustrative photo: VNA)

In his directive speech, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc commended the ministries and agencies for proactively adhering to the implementation schedule of the Project, especially some tasks related to institutional reform. However, the Deputy Prime Minister noted that the progress of the project's implementation is still slow, and the ministries and agencies need to accelerate the pace of implementation further.

The project needs to clearly define specific objectives for the 2013-2014 period, which include: completing the legal framework for issuing personal identification numbers; building a national population database; reviewing and proposing methods to simplify administrative procedures, citizen documents, and related databases for population management; finalizing and submitting the draft Law on Civil Registration to the National Assembly for approval; and drafting a Decree amending and supplementing Decree 90/2010/ND-CP for submission to the Prime Minister.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the need to focus on the synchronized implementation of the Project's tasks, including attracting the participation of experts and specialized agencies to ensure scientific rigor and rationality in the implementation process. The national population database is a key central product for addressing the issues raised in Project 986. Therefore, the Ministry of Public Security needs to coordinate with other ministries and agencies to accelerate the completion of this important database project, avoiding overlap and waste, ensuring interconnectedness in database construction, selecting issues beneficial for long-term management, and guaranteeing the quality and consistency of the project.

The Deputy Prime Minister requested that ministries and agencies coordinate closely in implementing the Project. The Ministry of Public Security needs to immediately organize a meeting with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Information and Communications, and the Government Office to clarify funding sources and specific plans for building a national population database effectively, synchronously, and without fragmentation.

According to Vietnam+