Govt stresses on balanced development: Minister Banskota

Kathmandu –Minister for Communication and Information Technology Gokul Prasad Baskota has asserted that the government was moving ahead towards realization of the government's motto of 'Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali' through the optimum usage of information and technology. 

Addressing the meeting of the Federal Parliament Development and Technology Committee held here today, Minister Banskota reiterated, "The Ministry would prepare action-plans and carry out designated works within the designated timeframe to expedite the development and expansion of the communications, information and technology." 

Minister Banskota reaffirmed that his Ministry had stressed on a balanced development in the country and had a policy to further promote telecommunications services and its scopes there. 

Towards this, the Minister shared that a total of 638 towers would be installed in various places across the country within six months. The Ministry also aimed at expansion of 4G telecommunications technology in major cities across the country and introduction of 5G and installation of internet in all local units, Minister added. 

He further informed that a provincial building for the only state-owned news agency in the country-National News Agency (RSS) was going to be constructed in line with the Ministry's plans and programmes to build a provincial building in each year in all seven provinces. 

Furthermore, Minister Banskota apprised that efforts were underway to designate RSS's correspondents in the New York of the USA and Beijing of China while the digital archiving of the RSS's important news and articles was being carried out and publication of the state-run Gorkhapatra had already begun from Biratnagar and Kohalpur simultaneously. 

According to Banskota, the Ministry had aimed to ensure cent per cent coverage of the State-owned radio, Radio Nepal- which now has 83 % coverage and Nepal Television having 72% of the coverage within five years. 

Similarly, he shared that 878 journalists were brought under the accident insurance policy in the last fiscal year 2074/75 BS. 

Moreover, the Minister added that the access of the mass media of all kinds would be ensured to public and mass media will be made impartial, accountable, professional and competitive. 

Nepal Television and Radio Nepal will be developed as the Public Corporations and operated under the single management and communication village (Sanchar Gram) will be built in all seven provinces. 
New telecom act in final stage 

Minister Banskota shared that a draft of new telecom act had reached the final stage as a taskforce was working out on it. 

He added that the Ministry was planning to connect all district headquarters, Municipalities and Rural Municipalities by information network after laying the optical fiber cable on the national and regional highways across the country by two years. 

He further shared that free of cost internet service was provided to worst quake hit districts after establishing 744 service centres in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Kavrepalanchok and Sindhupalchok districts. 

Minister Banskota added that the regulations related to telecom infrastructure 2074 BS was approved and regulation on frequency was prepared. 

Similarly, draft on Information Technology Act was being prepared. 
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