Security Printing services could be available within home: Minister Sharma

Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, announced that the government plans to establish a specialized agency within the country to provide reliable and high-quality security printing services. In response to queries from lawmakers about the Security Printing Bill during a meeting of the Education, Health, and Information Technology Committee in the House of Representatives, the Minister emphasized the government’s commitment to handling and promoting security printing as a project of national pride.

The Security Printing Bill, already endorsed by the National Assembly, proposes the establishment of a specialized center with the authority to manage security printing affairs. Minister Sharma explained that the bill, presented to the House in 2077 BS, includes provisions to consolidate security printing affairs and the Department of Printing into a single entity, advising the establishment of a center to oversee security printing affairs while retaining the Department of Printing.

Minister Sharma also mentioned the government’s plan to gradually phase out additional postal services and establish a postal service department at each local level. Secretary Krishna Bahadur Raut from the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology stated that the bill would be enriched based on amendments from the National Assembly and current circumstances, considering suggestions from parliamentarians.

During the meeting, committee members raised various points, including the need to avoid ‘copy-paste’ of definitions and terminology from foreign countries in the formulation of laws and the involvement of agencies like Janak Education Material Centre Ltd, Sajha Publication, and Nepal Academy in the Security Printing Press. Members also discussed the idea of imposing hefty fines instead of extended imprisonment to discourage breaches of confidentiality for materials printed in the Security Printing Press.