Background

As a developing country, Nepal has availed of the opportunity to rapidly develop various sectors such as education, health, agriculture, tourism, trade, among others, using information technology. The extension application of this technology will engender economic consolidation, development of democratic norms and values, proportional distribution of economic resources, and the means and enhancement of public awareness, thereby raising living standards and, most importantly, contribute significantly to poverty alleviation. An information technology policy is required to develop information technology in the shortest time possible for the sake of the national economy.

Objectives

The information technology policy shall be developed to attain the following objectives.

• To make information technology accessible to general public and increase employment through this means.
• To build knowledge based society.
• To establish knowledge based industries.

Strategies

The information strategies adopted to accomplish the above-mentioned objectives of rapid development and expansion of information technology in a fair and competitive environment shall be the following:

• The government will act as a promoter, facilitator, and regulator.
• Carry on research, develop and expand information technology with high priority to participation of the private sector.
• Prepare capable manpower with the involvement of both public and private sector for sustainable development and expansion of information technology.
• Encourage native and foreign investment for the development information technology and infrastructure pertaining to information technology.
• Place Nepal on the global map through information technology.
• Legalize and promote e-commerce.
• Assist in e-governance by using information technology.
• Utilize information technology in the development of rural areas.
• Promote information technology industries.
• Create a healthy, competitive environment for information technology service providers and provide them speedy and qualitative service at a reasonable cost.
• Include computer education in curriculum from the school level.
• Enhance professional efficiency through the use of information technology.
• Expand the information technology network to the rural areas.
• Establish Nepal in the international market in informational technology.
• Increase export services related to informational technology (software and hardware) to 10 billion rupees within the next five years.

Information Technology Policy

• To declare information technology sector a prioritized sector.
• To follow a single-door system for the development of information technology.
• To prioritize research and development of information technology.
• To create a conducive environment that will attract investment in the private sector, keeping in view the private sector's role in the development of information technology.
• To provide Internet facilities to all Village Development Committees of country in phases.
• To render assistance to education institutions and encourage native and foreign training as a necessity of fulfilling the requirement of qualified manpower in various fields pertaining to information technology.
• To computerize the records of each governmental office and build websites for them for the flow of information.
• To increase the use of computer in the private sector.
• To develop a physical and virtual information technology park in the various places with the private sector's participation for the development of information technology.
• To use information technology to promote e-commerce, e-education, e-health, among others, and to transfer technology in rural areas.
• To establish a National Information Technology Center.
• To establish a national level fund by mobilizing the resources obtained from Government, donor agencies, and private sectors so as to contribute to research and development of information technology and other activities pertaining to it.
• To establish venture capital funds with the joint participation of public and private sectors.
• To include computer education in the curriculum from school to broaden its scope.