Minister Kharel pledges to resolve MDMS stalemate

Kathmandu, Dec. 20

Minister for Communications and Information Technology Jagdish Kharel has said that the Mobile Device Management System (MDMS) has been entangled in a web of corruption and expressed his determination to tear through that web.

Inaugurating the second convention and third general assembly of the Kathmandu chapter of the Nepal Mobile Entrepreneurs’ Association in Kathmandu on Saturday, he said that he would work to resolve the issue.

Speaking at the programme, President of Nepal Mobile Entrepreneurs’ Federation Bharat Bhattarai said the MDMS has created confusion in the sector, and maintained that the system either be fully implemented or scrapped altogether. He also stressed the need to test the quality of mobile phones and accessories available in the market.

Kathmandu district president of the Federation Suresh Baniya said that legalising the trade of second-hand mobile phones would expand Nepal’s revenue base and help ensure that money remained within the country. He added that while some mobile accessories are produced domestically, imported goods continue to be prioritised, and urged the government to give preference to Nepali products.

Likewise, Minister Kharel said that the mobile phone business is not only boosting the national economy but is also playing the role of a social bridge by connecting people and relationships.

He stated that millions of young people from Gen-Z are engaged in the mobile business sector across the country, which has also created employment opportunities for hundreds of thousands of youths within Nepal.

According to him, the government is prepared to address the problems faced by mobile entrepreneurs.

Highlighting that the mobile business has generated domestic employment for millions of young Gen-Z youths, he expressed confidence that the government would take initiatives to address the concerns of business operators.

Stressing that the country demands change, he said that the current situation, where more than 2,000 youths leave the country every day, must be reversed through collective effort. “The reason this country has not progressed is not a lack of good intentions, but the tendency to search for ‘our own people’, driven by individual, factional and vested interests. Let us think carefully when casting our votes, so that we do not end up regretting for five years after voting for the wrong candidate,” he said.

Similarly, Minister Kharel said the government is working to promote good governance, control corruption, and create an environment conducive to holding elections on time.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 21 December 2025.