Minister Sharma assures of legal provisions for IT development

Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, has said the IT role is vital for achieving good governance and prosperity, the priorities of the government.

Addressing a programme organised by the Ministry on the occasion of the Sixth National Information Technology Day today, the Minister said the government was effortful to strengthen the public service system.

The Minister spoke of the need of promoting the efficient use of IT for passports, national ID cards, labour permits and other online services. “The government has ensured the issuances of passports, national IDs and labour permits for foreign employment within from the local level and a digital health check-up and counselling service has been launched targeting Nepali foreign migrant workers and the efficient use of IT is necessary to enhance the quality of these services.”

“IT is becoming an indispensable part of each citizen. Now its use is not just for entertainment purposes, but it has been established as a vital aspect of human life,” she said.

According to the Minister, we could see positive changes among the public because of IT use. It has largely contributed to making the service system more transparent, widely accessible and prompt with cost reduction. The State services to the citizens are becoming IT-friendly.

“Online facility is available for most essential services including financial transactions,” the Minister said, adding that it had been the responsibility of the State to ensure citizens’ safe and equal access to IT along with its further expansion.

Stating that the government has already taken ahead with works for setting up the National Cyber Security Centre to face cyber security challenges, she shared that the formulation of national cyber security policy has reached its final stage.

The Minister mentioned, “The National Cyber Security Monitoring Centre has been established in the Ministry and brought into operation for the security of government communications and information technology system.”

The government was active in making legal arrangements including necessary policies, acts and regulations for the development and expansion of the IT sector as well as ensuring its safe use, she opined.

Minister Sharma mentioned that programmes to increase digital literacy and people’s awareness are going to be launched across the country to make citizens literate regarding the use and safe use of information technology.

She further said digital device is becoming a big problem for us, appealing to all to make a concrete contribution in bringing good governance and prosperity through the use of safe information technology.

Similarly, Chief Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi called for making IT accessible for the general public to materialize the vision of prosperity with inclusiveness. He emphasized the expansion of IT services and underlined the need to make IT services reliable.

Likewise, Krishna Bahadur Raut, Secretary at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology stated that IT had affected the global economy and therefore pointed out the need for collaboration among all parties to achieve prosperity through service, economic development and employment generation.

President of the Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Chandra Prasad Dhakal, said the private sector had an important role in building a prosperous country through a digital economy.

Although basic works were carried out to make economic transactions, education and health services technology-friendly, he viewed that they should be further expanded.

Nepal Telecommunications Authority Chairperson Purushottam Khanal observed that the development of IT had interconnected all citizens in one place.

Computer Association Nepal (CAN) President Ranjit Kumar Poddar mentioned that IT had played a significant role in the national economy, adding the private sector was seeking the government’s cooperation.

Meanwhile, the government today honoured individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions to the development and expansion of the information communication and technology (ICT) sector in the country.

Marking the National ICT Day today, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharma honoured former Joint Secretary Birendra Kumar Mishra with the ‘National ICT Excellence Award’.

Professor Timila Yami Thapa was awarded the National ICT Excellence Award under the woman category. The ‘National ICT Innovation Award’ was conferred on Prisa Technology. The awards carried a purse of Rs 100,000 each.

Similarly, the Supreme Court received the ‘National ICT Award’ for delivering the best service through the means of IT while Info Developers Pvt Ltd and Governance Automation Pvt Ltd received the National ICT Award. (RSS)