Digital Strategies in Nepal
Lok Raj Sharma
Director
Department of Information Technology
Ministry of Communication and Information Technology

Country ProfileArea• Total: 147,516 Sq. Km• Mountains and Hill: 83 % Terai (flat Land): 17%Population
2021 Census• Total 29.16 Millions• Female: 14.91 Millions (51.13%)• Male: 14.25 Millions (48.87%)

Urban,
22.4%

Rural,
77.6%
Urban: 6.55 Millions
Rural: 22.61 Millions

7 Provinces

90%

753 Local
Governments

70%

82.20%

80%
62.50%

60%
50%
40%

Literacy rate (2021, 5 years andabove)• National: 76.2%• Male: 83.6%• Female: 69.4%

30%20%
10%0%Urban

Literacy RateRural

Country Profile
ICT Facts and Figures• ICT Development Index: 142 (ITU, 2021)• Network Readiness Index: 114 (University of Oxford, 2023)• National Data source• 72.94% of Household has Smart Phone (Census 2021)• 15% of Households own Computer/laptop (Census 2021)• 37.72 % Household have access of Internet in 2021 (Census 2021)• Total mobile subscription is 116% of population. (NTA 2023)• Total Internet Subscription Rate: 135.9% (NTA 2023)

History of ICT policy in Nepal• The development of modern ICT started with the Telecommunications act of 1997

and the telecommunication Regulation of 1997 that allowed the entry of Private in
telecom sector• The first policy on Information Technology, was the Information TechnologyPolicy 2000.
• After a demand for the revised policy featuring the Information Communication
Technology as a whole, the government of Nepal formulated the Information
Communication Policy 2015.
• There came Digital Nepal Framework 2019
• National Cyber Security Policy 2023 (recent)ICT policy 2015
Vision• To transform Nepal into an information and knowledge-based society andeconomy.

Mission• To create conditions for the intensified development and growth of ICT
sector as a key driver for Nepal's sustainable development and poverty
reduction strategies.

Key Policy Focus Areas• Accessibility• ICT for Development• E-Government• IT Human Resource Development• Cyber Security• ICT Infrastructure Development• IT Industry Promotion• Promotion of e-Commerce and SMEs

Digital Nepal Framework 2019•

Designed to enable Nepal to harness its growth potential by leveraging disruptive
technologies and driving socioeconomic growth•Blue print that provides a road map to Digital Nepal•

Digital Nepal Framework: 1 – 8 – 80•80 action plans -short term, middle term, long term to implement Digital NepalFramework.

•Currently Digital Nepal Acceleration project is in action in support with World Bank

Vision, Mission and Objectives
VisionDigital based Social economic prosperity

Mission
To harness digital technologies as a catalyst to positively transform government, society andeconomy

Objectives
To strengthen the foundation for a knowledge-based society and digital economy
To provide a framework for action aimed at leveraging digital technologies to achieve

8 Sectors-80 Digital Initiatives

Major Initiatives in each sectorDigital Foundation(19)• High speed internet connectivity• National Optical fiber• GEA implementation and Paperless
Government

Education(8)• Online Learning program• Education management system• Smart Classroom• Establishment of National Cyber Security
CenterHealth(7)• Central Telemedicine center• National Health service Platform• Digital Health CenterAgriculture(11)• Implementation of Land Record
Information Management System(LRIMS)• Smart management of Livestock• Skilled training program to farmers

Major Initiatives in each sector
Tourism(7)Finance(8)• E-Visa implementation• Multi- Languages helpline• Implementation of Digital Path••••

DisplayEnergy(9)• Smart Metering System• Smart Grid System• Any Branch Payment System(ABPS)

National payment gateway
Mobile Wallet service
Integrated Tax System
Central Billing Monitoring System

Urban Infrastructure(11)••••Water ATMIntelligent Waste Management
Public Transportation App
Intelligent Traffic and Parking Management
SystemMajor Initiatives in each sector
Tourism(7)Finance(8)• E-Visa implementation• Multi- Languages helpline• Implementation of Digital Path••••

Display

Energy(9)• Smart Metering System• Smart Grid System• Any Branch Payment System(ABPS)

National payment gateway
Mobile Wallet serviceIntegrated Tax System
Central Billing Monitoring System

Urban Infrastructure(11)••••Water ATMIntelligent Waste Management
Public Transportation App
Intelligent Traffic and Parking ManagementSystem

National Cyber Security Policy 2023
• The National Cyber Security Policy was enacted in 2023 with• Vision of “Development of resilient cyber space”.
• Goal• Improve Global Cyber Security Index (GCI) from 44.99 to 60 in 5 years• 60 in 10 years• 80 in 15 years• This organization is going to be establishing based on this policy. Organization
structure is in approval process.

Objectives• Making legal and institutional arrangements for creating a safe cyber space,

protecting sensitive national infrastructure while minimizing the risk of cyberattacks,• Carry Research, human resource development and capacity building in the field ofcyber security• To make services delivery using digital system reliable and secure,• Coordinate, share and get support at bilateral, regional and international levels for
reducing cyber security risks

ICT Related Organization in Nepal• Ministry of Communication and Information Technology• DoIT (Department of Information Technology)• OCC (Office of Controller of Certification)• NITC (National Information Technology Center)• Nepal Telecommunication Authority• E-Governance Commission• National Cyber Security Center (is in process of establishment)

Ministry of Communication and Information
Technology• The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MoCIT)
was renamed so accommodating Information Technology sector as well in2017 AD the cause was ICT Policy 2015. Previously IT was under then
Science and Technology ministry.

• The Ministry widely covers postal services, telecommunications, Information
Technology, Broadcasting, Press & Information and Film Development.

Ministry's Sectorial Vision
General Communication:• To ensure and broaden information channel to citizens via implementation of complete press

freedom, right to communication, and right to information guaranteed by Constitution of Nepal.

Telecommunication:• To provide reliable quality communication service throughout the country enabling the job
creation and entrepreneurial development via the complete usage of cutting edge
Telecommunication technologies.

Information Technology:• To contribute towards continuous development and prosperity via ensuring a ubiquitous accessto Information Technology.

Department of Information Technology• The Department of Information Technology is established in the year 2012AD• as in the process of implementation of then IT policy 2000 AD• As a promoter, implementer and regulator in IT sector

Office of Controller of Certification• The Office of Controller of Certification (OCC) is established in the year
2006 AD by provision of Electronic Transaction Act 2006 and Regulation• Mission is to promote affordable and adequate access to quality ICT services
through functional market-driven competition and regulatory principles in asecured trouble-free e-Transaction• Acts as regulator for Digital certificate

National Information Technology Center• NITC was established in 2001 AD with the objective of developing andpromoting the information technology sector of the Government of Nepal.

• The NITC manages Government Data Center at Kathmandu• And Disaster Recovery Center at Hetauda• Construction of Data Center at Western part of Nepal and atLalitpur(Kathmadu valley other location) is in processNepal Telecommunication Authority• Nepal Telecommunications Authority is the telecommunications regulatory body ofNepal.

• It is an autonomous body established on Feb 1998 in accordance with

Telecommunications Act, 1997 and Telecommunications Regulation, 1998.

• It’s objective is to create a favorable and competitive environment for thedevelopment, expansion and operation of telecommunications services with theprivate sector participation in Nepal.

E-Governance Commission• The E-governance Commission was established in 2022
• The major objective of E-governance Commission:• promote use of Information Technology in service delivery• and formulate policy for e-governance implementation

IT Programs under DoIT

Government Integrated Office Mgmt Systm• Centralized System for efficiency and transparency• Supports Paperless government• Memo and Decision /approval and letter dispatch• leave and attendance record• Came into effect as a directive was approved by the government on April
2022
RegisteredAgencies
174(39)LetterRegistered
142,941

Letter
Dispatched
29,557

Memo/decisions
4,070

Deputed
10,567

Leave
20,335Government Cloud• Scalable, Secure and Shared infrastructure• Service started from 2014 AD• Free for Government agencies• For reliable and secure use agencies has to go MoU• No of agencies 347 and created VMs 812.

Government Integrated Website Mgmt Systm• Guided by Gov Agencies Website developmt and Mgmt Directive• uniformity among the websites of all government agencies• Codeless website creation• Gov Agencies do not need Technical man power to manage• Gov Agencies need only to update/upload the content• Gov. Agencies registered for website: 232 and Live sites: 70Other• Centralized-Attendance:- Government online attendance system whichhelps to manage employee’s attendance and leave record

Provide e-attendance service to 918 government office• Centralized SMS gateway: Government agencies can send required

information to concerned group of people/citizens by short msg in nominal
charge/msg• VAPT: department performs Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration
Testing of the government applications

Major IT System/projects in Nepal• Nagarik App• Integrated Tax System• e-Custom System• Online Company Registration System• e-Procurement System• E-Passport Management System(eMRP)• Land Records Management System• e-Driving License Management System• System for Biometric Based Voter-List• Public Key Infrastructure• Government Integrated Data Center and DR• Treasury Single Account• Centralized Attendance System ofGovernment• Nepal Government Integrated OfficeManagement System

Major IT Systems in Nepal• Single window System for TradeFacilitation• Government Cloud• National Identification System• Central Immigration Control System• National Information Highway

ICT related Act/Regulation/Directive andGuidelines• Electronic Transaction Act 2006
• Electronic Transaction Regulation• Government Integrated Office• Government Agencies Website• Government e-mail Management• Information Technology System• Directive for Social Media use 2023
• Cyber-Resilience-Guidelines-2023 NRB

2007

Development and Management
Directive 2021
Management and Operation Directive2014

Management System Operation andManagement Directive 2022
Directive 2017

Thank You