Gota backs gathering personal information under one data centre

• Measures aimed at making services more efficient, reduce time and funds spent on data gathering

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has backed measures to gather all personal information including National Identity Cards, driving licenses, immigration and emigration documents, registration of births and deaths under one data collection centre, the President’s Media Unit said yesterday. 

The President had said such a data collection centre would be instrumental in reducing time, effort and money spent on such services at present during a discussion with the officials of the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology held at the Presidential Secretariat on Monday.

The President had also pointed out the existing practice was to gather the same information by several entities. He had noted that if this could be brought under one umbrella organisation, it would greatly reduce delays and ensure efficiency.

The President had also said this would prevent the circulation of erroneous and duplicitous information, the Media Unit said in the statement. 

“The inter-connectivity among ministries, departments and semi-governmental organisations is vital in the development process of the country. A high level of productivity can be achieved by networking relevant organisations.

“The attention of the President was also drawn to assigning some of the projects currently under the purview of the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology to the ministries or institutions which are directly responsible for the outcome of the program.”

The case of handing over the school computer labs project to the Ministry of Education was cited as an example.

Minister Bandula Gunawardene, State Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene, secretaries to the ministries and several other officials were present at the discussion.