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Nepal’s ICT scenario. Prospects and challenges. Er. Ganesh Shah Minister, Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology. mingshah@most.gov.np shahganesh@gmail.com. Presentation highlights. Current situation Indicators, footprint Why policy emphasis on ICTs?
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Nepal’s ICT scenario Prospects and challenges Er. Ganesh ShahMinister, Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology mingshah@most.gov.np shahganesh@gmail.com
Presentation highlights • Current situation • Indicators, footprint • Why policy emphasis on ICTs? • Challenges from policy perspective • Common observation • Way forward
Indicators • Fixed line telephone 5,24,443 • Mobile Telephone 25,00,124 • Service Penetration (1 in 100 population): • Fixed + Mobile 12.45 • Fixed: 2.29% • Internet (subscribers only).28 • VSAT user 110 • International Internet Bandwidth per inhabitant 6.59 kbps • Internet access tariff (20 hours per month), in US$, and as a percentage of per capita income US$10.57, 3.92%
Prospects: why policy emphasis on ICTs? • ICTs have potential to promote, • Inclusive/ participatory governance • Facebook, blogs?? • Transparent and accountable governance • e-Governance project
Favorable Policy outcomes • Health, education, agricultural services • ICT sector as an economic sector • Export potential, employment generation • India more than 40Bn USD turnover- IT/BPO sector • Nepal can always expect for a modest share of global outsourcing pie
Challenges from policy perspective • Dynamism of the sector • Fast evolving technology with policy implications • Example, spectrum management challenges, VoIP • Cross-cutting nature of ICTs • Need to orient sectoral agencies to adopt IT strategies • Infrastructural challenges • Bandwidth availability and costs • Power situation (load shedding)
Priority Evaluation eGMP Project Framework G2C G2B G2G Infra Transparent Networked Improving ICT resource Citizen centered • One-stop public service • Opening admin. Information and process • Computerization and Integration • Standardization • ICT based facility • On-line public service • Diversification of service channel Strategy NID, e-Health, Passport, e-Post, Government Portal, Social Insurance, e-Pension, e-Vehicle, e-Election, Driver license, e-Petition, e-Agriculture (12) Recruitment and Employment Information System, e-Procurement, e-Customs, e-Patent, e-Tourism, BRAMS, e-Commerce (7) e-Tax, Immigration, e-Education, e-Land, e-MIS, Groupware, e-Pollution, e-Authentication, KMS, GIS (10) EA, Comm. Network, GIDC, Public Key Infrastructure (4) Project (33) 1st Evaluation NID, e-Health, Passport, e-Vehicle, Government portal, Driver license, e-Agriculture (7) e-Procurement, e-Customs, BRAMS, e-Commerce (4) e-Tax, Immigration, e-Education, e-Land, e-Authentication, Groupware (6) EA, Comm. Network, GIDC, PKI (4) Project (21) 2nd Evaluation Government portal, NID (2) (0) Groupware, e-Education (2) EA, GIDC, (PKI), Comm. Network (3) Phase 1 (7) e-Health, Passport, e-Vehicle, Driver license, e-Agriculture (5) e-Procurement, BRAMS, e-Customs, e-Commerce (4) e-Tax, Immigration, e-Land, e-Authentication (4) (0) Phase 2 (13) 7
Way forward • Revised IT Policy and work plan with more articulated policy provisions • Focus in implementation • Implementation of IT policy has so far remained very weak • Emphasis on action research that could be scaled up to full-fledged projects • e-Education, telemedicine, e-Agriculture….
Intensive engagement with the private sector • Strategy for developing IT services and BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) sector • Operational zing the IT Park • Working collaboratively to ease difficulties • Streamline/ fine-tune institutional arrangement • Overlapping functional areas • Intra/ inter-organizational challenges • Effective implementation of e-Governance • Facilitating rural-urban linkages