Digital Framework Nepal
e-Governance is the key to the “Good Governance” for the developing countries like Nepal to minimize corruption, provides efficient and effective or quality services to their citizens. In today’s world the development of any country depends on the uses of E-Governance and also their penetration. From urban states to rural areas and from politics to teaching-Governance has spread its root everywhere. Either its public or private sector, common man or businessman all is largely dependent on e-governance. Nepal needs to share learning experiences with regional and global players.
The Digital Nepal Framework (DNF) was initiated in 2019 to includes 80 activities divided into eight categories – digital foundation, agriculture, health, education, energy, tourism, finance and urban infrastructure. It seeks to find new solutions to address important societal concerns efficiently and identify challenges for Nepal to engage in the global economy. Government had yet to make a significant and concrete contribution. Nonetheless, three years after Nepal adopted the Digital Nepal Framework, the project seems to be finally getting some attention from the government as the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MoCIT) recently announced an investment of NPR 22 billion in the project. The World Bank is set to invest NPR 17 billion and provide NPR 5 billion as business loans for the project. The ministry has so far prepared a draft of the scope for investment in the Digital Nepal Framework and is currently seeking suggestions from all stakeholders. As per MoCIT, a portion of the amount would be used for funding internet expansion in rural areas, and provide Internet Service Providers (ISPs) financial incentives to develop weather-resistant high-speed broadband connectivity. Similarly, the government plans to invest in e-governance, which would comprise of digital signatures, a cybersecurity regulatory framework, and an increased capacity of current data centers.
Challenges
The effective implementation of the Digital Nepal Framework and achievement of all 80 initiatives under the eight sectors, requires enhanced ICT infrastructure and qualified human resources and the progress has been slow. Private sectors have been leading the technological transformation in Nepal and worldwide. The investment should come from both sides in developing the required infrastructures and improve cybersecurity through public-private partnerships. Government should facilitate the concerned stakeholders in drafting policies that create an enabling environment for them to work on the digital Nepal initiatives. Skill development programs should be speeded up to achieve productive engagement from capable workforce.
Although the government and private sectors have come up with several initiatives to facilitate the access to public services, the desired outcomes are yet to be fully realized. This can be largely attributed to various front-end and back-end challenges that the government continues to face. Front-end challenges relate to user-specific issues such as, high illiteracy levels, non-availability of use friendly interfaces, inadequate power supply in rural areas, low broadband penetration and most importantly, lack of awareness of e- governance initiatives. On the other hand, back-end challenges relate to technical, process or human resource issues within the government. The collaborative effort of the government with of the private sectors is lacking. These issues include lack of systems integration within a department, lack of integration across government departments, limited knowledge of using computers at various levels of bureaucracy and deployment of technology without proper process re-engineering
There are various challenges for the implementation of e-government in Nepal. These challenges are like low literacy, lack of awareness, low broadband penetration, lack of system integration within a department, and all other reasons. Intermenstrual collaboration is required for effective implementation. A vision is required to implement the e-government in Nepal. To meet the vision the challenges in the implementation of e-government should be overcome. Conducive environment needs to be developed for the effective implementation of e-government. Nepal does have number of e-governance projects in spite of challenges mainly due to private sector participation.
Author:
Experience: Combination of policy makers , innovator, entrepreneur, and social activist
More than 40 years in ICT
Professor Timila Yami Thapa was educated in Indian Institute of Technology ( B. Tech. Electronic Engineering( 1975 batch), Kanpur, India and M.Sc. from De Montfort University, Leicestershire, UK 1995 in Information Technology with specialization in Systems Engineering. She also underwent one year of training on Systems and Communication Infrastructure at Philips, Holland sponsored by UNDP. Her service to Nepal is a unique combination of a national-level policy planner, a pioneering educator in Information Technology and Computer Engineering, an industrial administrator, an entrepreneur and a social reformer working for upliftment of women, child-education and youth employment. She pioneered and initiated new educational programs in Nepal. Her efforts to improve technological infrastructure culminated in the first ever Computer Engineering program in the history of Nepal at Institute of Engineering under Tribhuvan University, which became the foundation of current growth in engineering and technology in Nepal.
Pioneering Contribution in ICT sector
Story
Considering the political situation and the state of education in 1979, it required significant effort and persuasion of higher administration and ministers to invest in the technological future of Nepal. As a national-level policy planner, I worked for one year as a Member of the ICT Advisory Board under the Prime-minister's office. As an educational policy planner, I served as a member of the Academic council and the Research Council under University Grant Commission, Nepal. I also worked as a governing member of the Nepal Engineering Council for three years. I also served for three years as a member of the advisory board member of Rural Telecommunication Fund Board, Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA). From 1996-08, I was also in charge of looking after promoting the software industry in the Computer Association of Nepal (CAN) where I worked as an executive board member (1996- 1998 ). I am currently also serving as an Immediate Past President, IETE ( Institute of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers, India), Nepal chapter.
As an educator, I served in the Engineering faculty, Institute of Engineering (IOE) of Tribhuvan University, Nepal, since 1979 until my retirement (2015) first as a professor in the Electronics and Computer Engineering Department; and later as the Assistant Dean when I managed four state-owned and ten affiliated Engineering colleges. I taught Electronic Engineering courses from 1979 till 1997 and Computer Engineering courses in that department from 1998 till 2015 at Institute of Engineering IOE, under Tribhuvan University. I also worked in Pokhara university for four years designing course-curriculum of BE Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, BCA, BE in Information Technology. I also served as a senate member at Pokhara University. I also worked as a Senate member for two years at Pokhara University.
I am the owner of a Software company Designco Nepal founded in 1991. That time, well-qualified human resources in the IT area were not available and opening a software company was very difficult due to the lack of resources and the domestic market.
I handled complex software projects of Himal Cement, Nepal Electricity Authority, Nepal Telecom, Nepal Water Sewerage Corporations(NWSC) and KUKL, Jyoti Group, etc.
I also initiated the creation of the first IT Park in the history of Nepal organizing a series of interactions with prominent leaders and business people including president of FNCCI. I was a CAN executive committee member then. CAN Infotech exhibition was also organized that also provided more exposure along with the further exposure in the International Software Industry exhibition at Hanover Germany 1996, 1997 and 1999 and I contributed in formulating IT policy and initiating IT park. I also convinced the Education ministry and concerned stakeholders to invest in opening Computer Engineering at IOE.
As a social reformer, I have been actively involved in the social work in child education and women’s empowerment by organizing many activities and participating in many organizations. I founded DHMA in 2011 and currently work as Chairperson to promote ICT, child education, empowerment programs for minority groups, especially women, skill development of youth and services for and child education. in Nepal. I am also engaged in other organizations with the major motto of promoting ICTs extensively for empowerment. I worked as Chairperson of Women Agency Research Nepal (2019- 2022), Life member of Women In IT(WIIT), Executive member of senior Professor’s Association, Executive Member of Senior Citizens Samaj, Nepal. Member of Senior Professional Engineer, CIDC, India. Life member of Management Association Nepal (MAN), Nepal Engineer Association (NEA) and HEADS Nepal, Member of Women in Science and Technology (WIST), Member of Women chapter of Chamber of Commerce, Member of AOTs Japan, Member of Mount Everest Rotary club, Member of Lalitpur Cultural Centre.