Minister Gurung emphasizes IT infrastructure expansion in upcoming budget

Kathmandu: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, has emphasized IT infrastructure development while formulating a budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

At a programme organized to discuss with departments and agencies under the Communication Ministry budget planning for the three-year budget (2082/83-2084/85 BS), Minister Gurung drew the attention of department chiefs to come up with a plan serving a broader objective.

Claiming that the development of IT has largely contributed to increased public revenue, he described it as challenging to take advantage of technical advancements as expected without robust infrastructure development around the IT sector.

‘So, I urge all the responsible authorities to bring a plan such construction of the IT Park,’ also the government spokesperson, Minister Gurung mentioned, ‘Government investment is necessary to take Nepal to technology-friendly and e-governance systems. Constructing a data centre is another emphatic task.’

Stressing the need to launch a campaign for the implementation of an integrated office system and use of the Nagarik App, he added necessary budget should be allocated for the same. Communications Minister Gurung stated that the ministry was suffering from the challenge of increasing absorbing capacity, calling for employees to perform honestly and fearlessly for the results. Saying that the government agencies should approve the budget within Asar 15 ((June 28).

Communications Secretary, Radhika Aryal, urged to formulate a pro-people budget with innovative plans. On the occasion, chiefs of departments and agencies under the ministry were briefed about the budget of their respective offices. Executive Chairperson of the Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS), Dharmendra Jha, highlighted the need to make it mandatory for all government agencies to subscribe to the news products of RSS to promote self-reliance of the news agency.

He drew the government’s attention to increasing the allocation of the budget for the RSS to expand its museum and plural language services.

Chair Jha mentioned, ‘The government’s extra grant is necessary to provide news service to small-scale media through RSS free of cost. It will also help make RSS self-reliant.’

Also speaking on the occasion, the Chairperson of the Public Service Broadcasting, Nepal, Dr Mahendra Bista, said management of employees as well as construction of physical and technical infrastructure are mandatory to make the PSB’s activities efficient.

Likewise, the General Manager of the Gorkhapatra Corporation, Lal Bahadur Airee, pointed out the need for sufficient budgetary allocation for the construction of a new building of Gorkhapatra Corporation as well as for the digitalization of its service.

Director General of the Department of Information and Broadcasting, Pradip Pariyar, shared that 10 different schemes that did not bring tangible results have been removed from the budget plan.

RSS