The government has decided to begin preparation for issuing national identity cards or smart cards to the citizens of the country.A cabinet meeting held Wednesday took the decision to this effect. The cabinet meeting also decided to confer Indian Army chief Gen Deepak Kapoor with the title of Honorary General of Nepal Army (NA), according to Minister for Information and Communication Shankar Pokharel who later briefed media-persons about the decisions of the meeting.

President Dr Ram Baran Yadav will award the Indian Army chief with the title during the latter's visit to Nepal this month. Indian President Pratibha Patil had recently conferred Nepal Army chief Gen Chhatra Man Singh Gurung the Honorary General of Indian Army.

The cabinet also decided to appoint former Dang parliamentarian Bijul Biswakarma as chairman of National Dalit Commission and form committee to regulate the foreign employment sector. nepalnews.com