Govt plans to cut internet price

Kathmandu, Feb. 27

The government is planning to bring down the price of internet.

Minister for Communication and Information Technology Parbat Gurung said that the government was looking for options to reduce the internet cost and very soon it would be implemented.

"Internet service is expensive and of poor quality. We get many complaints as well as recommendations to reconsider the price and enhance the quality," he said while addressing the 27^th Annual General Assembly of the Computer Association Nepal (CAN) Federation on Saturday in the Capital.

Minister Gurung said that the government wanted paperless office and faceless service for which quality internet and telecommunication are the key. The government had launched the Digital Nepal Framework for the holistic development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector including e-commerce, e-education, e-health.

According to the minister, the Nagarik App is another step towards the implementation of the framework while the local bodies have their own websites and apps which will expedite the digital development.

He said that the government had given priority to infrastructure development in the IT sector. "We have just made a policy decision to expand the optical fiber to all remote districts. Each ward office, school, health post and community centre would be connected to the internet. It will open new avenues of investment and business expansion in those areas," said Minister Gurung.

He urged CAN Federation to raise the issues of people as well and said that people blame the technology when the service is poor but actual fault lies in the service providers.

President of CAN Federation said that although the COVID-19 pandemic badly affected public life and businesses, it opened new avenues for the ICT business.

"We have witnessed growth and development in ICT sector that never happened before, so I urge the government to invest in creating strong and modern infrastructure for the development of this sector," he said.

He suggested the government to completely digitalise banking, transportation and revenue sector in the first phase in order to facilitate people and check corruption.

According to him, the pandemic affected the organisation of CAN Info-Tech, the largest information and communication technology fair, and it was pushed ahead for about three months while its provincial versions were cancelled for this year.

Speaking on the occasion, Senior Vice President of Nepal Chamber of Commerce Rajendra Malla said that without proper development of ICT sector, other businesses and services would not speed up.

"Digital payment is the primary need for the time being for which the government must bring new policies," he said.

Likewise, Vice President of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Anjan Shrestha said that it was unfortunate that the ICT was still not in the priority list of the government.

Managing Director of Nepal Telecom Dilli Adhikari said that ICT companies should collaborate with the local governments in their respective locality for rapid development of the business.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 28 February 2021.