PM Oli sees need for paperless government service system

KATHMANDU, May 2: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said the government service would be made paperless and faceless through the maximum utilisation of information technology. 

Inaugurating a programme organised by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology today on the occasion of the fourth National Information and Communications Technology Day, 2078 BS, PM Oli said the implementation of IT in the service delivery system would save cost and time as people get fast and prompt service in an easy and accessible way.  The Prime Minister inaugurated the event virtually from his official residence, Baluwatar. 

On the occasion, the PM said construction and expansion work of the Information Highway connecting east-west, north-south and district headquarters had been expedited. 
According to him, works are in progress to develop IT infrastructure at all local levels, ward offices, community schools and health centers, connect them with broadband internet service and set up and operate an IT center in each local level. 

"The entire world has been transformed into a single village due to rapid IT development”, he said, adding that IT was in the center of all strategies taken to achieve greater goals of socio-economic transformations and sustainable development. 

The growing use of information technology worldwide has led to a basic change in the operation and management of state affairs, development endevours, public service delivery, information exchange and networking system and so on.

"The Digital Nepal Framework, 2076 BS has been implemented as party of the government’s transformative project with the objectives of increasing contribution of communication and information technology to nation’s economy through the development and expansion of digital infrastructure and technology and for the good governance, prosperity and development.’’ 

The Digital Network covers eight areas including education, health, agriculture, energy, tourism, infrastructure, finance and digital foundation and eight digital endevours. On the occasion of the Day to be celebrated with the theme of ‘expansion of information and communications technology: a base for prosperous Nepal’, the PM extended his best wishes to the entire Nepali community at home and abroad. He called on the mass to ensure maximum utilisation of IT and contribute for materialising the goals of ‘prosperous Nepal, happy Nepalis’. 

"Internet has been recognised as the most essential service, and environment for further investment in IT sector has been guaranteed through legal reforms,’’ he said, adding special attention had been given to the control of cybercrime and to guarantee cyber security and government data security.

Arrangements have been made to provide required infrastructures related to information technology and SIM cards to students so that schools can smoothly follow an alternative mode of learning and teaching activities during the prohibitory order, the PM said. 

PM Oli formally launched Nagarik app, a mobile application launched by the government to provide government services through a single online platform, coinciding with the Day. He himself opened bank accounts of Nepal Bank Limited and Siddhartha Bank Limited through the app. 

He expressed the hope that with the app into operation, service seekers would be relieved of troubles they faced while visiting government offices physically for services and government services would be transparent and delivered in an easy and fast way. The app could be a basis for the government to realise its goals of making the country free of corruption, he said. 

Capacity of a data centre in Singha Durbar would be increased and the construction of a data centre at Khumaltar in Lalitpur district and Kohalpur in Banke has been proceeded as part of the concept of building a data centre each in all seven provinces, he said. 

It has been announced that internet service would be expanded to ward offices at all local levels, community schools and health centres. Likewise, free SIM cards would be distributed to all districts of Province 1, 2 and Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces. 

Trials of 5G service through that Nepal Telecom would be taken forward.