National ID Card Directorate latest to go cashless

TUZ KHURMATU – Beginning next Sunday, the National ID Card Directorate in Tuz Khurmatu, Salah ad Din province, will transition to exclusively accepting electronic payments, aligning with a decision by the Iraqi Council of Ministers.

This move necessitates citizens to possess a bank card for all transactions, marking a significant shift towards cashless operations.
Walid Mahmoud, the deputy director of the Tuz Khurmatu Civil Registry, emphasized that exceptions would be granted until the month’s end for citizens lacking a bank card, aiming to facilitate their transition.

“From May 1, 2024, onwards, we will only receive payments through the electronic system and will not accept cash in any form,” stated Mahmoud, clarifying that these directives align with the government’s push towards electronic financial transactions.

The district’s General Hospital had previously adopted a similar policy to reduce paper receipts, and come May, all government departments will operate exclusively through electronic means.
This transition to cashless transactions aims to streamline government processes by eliminating physical cash handling, potentially accelerating service delivery and mitigating bureaucratic delays.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s administration has placed a strong emphasis on digitizing public sector operations.

The government stresses that such measures will bolster transparency by establishing digital transaction records and facilitating monitoring and auditing of financial activities. This increased accountability contributes to curbing opportunities for corruption. Moreover, data gathered from electronic payments can inform more precise and efficient resource allocation by revealing spending patterns.