Nepal

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Nepal
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Expert Group Meeting on Regional Cooperation
towards Building an Information Society in Asia
and the pacific, Bangkok, 20-22, July 2009

• Purushottam Ghimire
• Joint Secretary
• Ministry of Environment (MOE)
• Nepal

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National Policy for ICT Development
To create IT enabling environment in the
country Encouraging private sectors for
development and promotion of IT sector in order
to eradicate poverty Developing sustainable and
competitive IT by using modern technology in the
rural areas, Introducing new development
programs in IT for socio-economic development

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National Policy for ICT Development

• Three-Year Interim Plan (2007-09)
• Promote ICT sector in such a way that it could
  be used by all community and micro-level economic
  units and linked with business and service
  purposes. It will promote the way of life skills
  promptly. It will also help reduce unnecessary
  channels of distribution of goods and services
  from producers to ultimate consumers.
• National Planning Commission

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Major Goals of the 11th Interim Plan (2007-09)

• Use IT as a tools for development
• Establishment of Government Integrated Data and
  Training Center (GIDTC)
• Capacity enhanced 27 telecenter
• Provide training to 2550 government staffs
• Establish 300 telecenters
• Implement government accounting in 300 offices
• Implement e-government Master Plan

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National ICT Policies

• 2.1 Background of ICT Development
• Began with use of IBM 1410 in 1971
• Establishment of National Computer Center (NCC)
  in 1974 and dissolved in 1998
• Computer education started in early 1990s.
• Internet started with e-mail services in June
  1994.
• In 1995, 150 e-mail addresses and in 2002 the
  Number were 150000 and Now the figure is 500,000

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Main ICT Policy Components

• 2.2. Telecommunications Act 1997 and Regulation
  1998
• Establishment of NTA (Telecom-authority)
• Telecommunication Policy 1999
• - Standard and reliable Telecom service
• -Policy Liberalization , Telecommunication sector
  open ( Private Sector Participation)
• Telecommunication Policy 2004

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Nepal IT Policy 2000

• Vision
• To place Nepal in the Global Map of Information
  Technology within the next five years
• Objectives
• To make information technology accessible to the
  general public and increase employment through
  this means
• To build a knowledge-based society
• To establish knowledge-based industries

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Major Components of IT Policy

• Governments role are facilitator, Promoter, and
  certain extent Regulator
• Partnership with private sector
• Promote foreign investment
• Develop IT infrastructure
• Good governance/ e-government
• Legalize e-commerce

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Major components of IT (cont..)

• IT as import substitution and export oriented
• Computerization of government offices
• One window system
• Promotion and establishment of software and
  hardware.
• Promotion of e-commerce, e-education, tele-health
• Establishment of IT Park

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e- Government initiatives (examples)

• Tax Filing (VAT, PAN, TDS) www.ird.gov.np
• e-payment system (MoF, NRB, NBA, SCT, ITPF, NCC,
  CAN)
• e-Procurement www.bolpatra.gov.np
• Business registration (e.g. cottage small
  industry) www.company-registrar.gov.np
• e-bazar.com
• Land, population/citizen, vehicle registration
• Postal Services www.nepalpost.gov.np
• Government Accounting System www.fcgo.gov.np
• Health Management Information System
  www.healthnet.org.np
• Customs www.customs.gov.np
• Immigration Control www.immi.gov.np
• Criminal record www.nepalpolice.gov.np

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IT Policy and Strategy

• Strategic focus, legal and regulatory framework,
• Infrastructures
• Content and Application
• Private Sector Participation
• Human Resource Development

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Key ICT Players

• Government Agencies
• Ministry of Science Technology (MOST)
• Ministry of Information Communication (MOIC)
• High Level Commission for Information
  Technology (HLCIT)
• Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA)
• National Information Technology Centre (NITC)
• Offices of Controller of certifying Authority
• Project Management Unit for ADB project under
  the Prime Ministers Office

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Key ICT Players Cont.

• Selected Private Institutions
• Computer Association of Nepal (CAN)
• ISP Association of Nepal
• IT Professional Forum
• Internet Service User Group
• Association of Computer Engineer Nepal (ACEN)
• Microsoft Liaison Office

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Key ICT Players Cont.

• Selected Private Institutions
• Computer Association of Nepal (CAN)
• ISP Association of Nepal
• IT Professional Forum
• Internet Service User Group
• Internet Society, Nepal Chapter
• Association of Computer Engineer Nepal (ACEN)
• Microsoft MDP Nepal

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ICT Infrastructure up to June 2009

• Available Voice Telephone Service
• Service NDCL UTL SNPL STM Total ( in thousand)
• Fixed PSTN 556 - - - 556
• WLL 180 68 - 4 252
• Mobile GSM 2696 - 1856 - 4552
• ,, CDMA Sky 529 - - - 529
• Others Limited - 67 - - 67
• WCDMA (G3) .6 - - - .6
• Total 3961.6 135 1856 4 5956.6
• Penetration Rate in
• Fixed 2.93
• Mobile 18.47
• Others 0.25
• Total 21.65

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ICT Law and Regulations

• Electronic Transaction Act 2061
• To validate give legal recognition to
  electronic documents, signature transactions
• To facilitate the admission of electronic
  documents, signature transactions
• as evidence in case of dispute.
• Penalization of unauthorized access to
  information
• Copy Right Act
• Right to Information Act

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ICT Human Resources Status/Progress
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ICT Human Resources Challenges

• The actual need for ICT human resources in Nepal
  is unclear 6000 ICT graduate are produce by 62
  colleges per year.
• Responsibility for implementing ICT human
  resource development is not explicit, and there
  is no institutional champion.
• There are no appropriate training standards.
• Lack of ICT-skilled management personnel.
• There is a lack of practical knowledge among
  recent graduates, highlighting insufficient
  work-place exposure prior to graduation.
• The brain drain problem is significant Non-
  returners are as high as 90 for Nepal for all
  overseas study (i.e. higher for IT majors).
• There is no systematic career growth for ICT
  human resources/IT professionals. Lack of ICT
  industry integration
• The awareness of ICT and its benefits is low.

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Millennium Development Goal and ICT as a Tool

• MDG 1- Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
• Information Dissemination
• Awareness Raising
• Increase Productivity/ High Yield
• Efficient Public Service Delivery
• MDG 2- Achieve Universal Primary Education
• School Net
• Education in/ with ICT
• School Content on Web

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Millennium Development Goal and ICT as a Tool
cont..

• MDG 3- Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women
• Equal Access to ICT
• ICT Applications on Womens Initiatives
• MDG 4- Reduce Child Mortality
• E-health
• E-learning
• Program dissemination through Media
• Online Consultation

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Millennium Development Goal and ICT as a Tool
cont..

• MDG 5- Improve Maternal Health
• Educational program through Media
• Regular Dissemination of Information
• E-Health
• Online Consultation
• MDG 6- Combat HIV AIDS/Malaria other Diseases
• Awareness Program through Media
• Online Consultation
• Information Dissemination

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Millennium Development Goal and ICT as a Tool
cont..

• MDG 7- Ensure Environmental Sustainability
• Raising Awareness
• Information Dissemination
• Geographical Information System (GIS)
• MDG 8- Develop a Global Partnership for
  Development
• ICT friendly Policy, Legislation, Regulation,
  Operation, Financial Mechanism Customer Care
• Integration and Harmonization of Sectoral
  Policies with ICT application and Services

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On Going Initiatives

• Necessary Legislation in line with Policy
  provisions
• e-government Master Plan Development
• Integration of ICT Policy in Sectoral Policies
• Establishment of Rural ICT Centers
• Operation of IT park

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Institutional Development

• Capacity building of MOST, MOIC and NTA for
  Policy and Regulation respectively
• Define role of MOIC and MOST to avoid
  overlapping
• Prompt, Simple, Convenient and Transparent
  implementation
• Clear role and responsibility of the private
  sectors IT
• Role and responsibility of Central Bank for
  electronic transaction

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Challenges

• Build a Better Understanding of role of ICT in
  Development Endeavor
• Lack of support from donors
• Infrastructure
• Resource Mobilization
• Strategic Institutional Restructuring
• Effective Implementation
• Lack of regional support

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Cooperation and Collaboration for Peace, Progress
and Prosperity

• Government Initiation
• Civil Societys Participation
• Business Entities Investment
• International Communities Technical and
  financial Support
• Investment opportunity for NRN

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Initiatives for Regional Cooperation

• Supporting and broadening sub-regional
  initiatives
• Strengthening cooperation at the regional level
• Facilitating cross-regional cooperation

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Thank you