Minister Kharel discuss with Gen Z groups, insists on good governance, digital reform

Kathmandu: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Jagdish Kharel, held a meeting with Gen Z representatives from the technical sector to discuss the promotion of good governance, digital transformation, digital economy, IT innovation, and youth engagement in these efforts.

This was the first-ever meeting with Gen Z technical professionals, initiated by the Minister himself on Friday. During the discussion, participants urged the Ministry to develop an IT action plan for digital transformation that ensures active youth involvement.

In response, Minister Kharel pledged to prioritise good governance and digital transformation by maximising the use of information technology and incorporating youth feedback into future strategies and action plans. “We will incorporate feedback from Gen Z groups into every policy and plan formulated by the Ministry to create a better roadmap for promoting good governance and digital transformation,” the Minister stated.

Acknowledging that the current government, elected with strong civic support, is founded on the Gen Z movement, he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to holding timely elections, promoting good governance, and reconstructing damaged infrastructure.

The role of IT is instrumental in disaster pre-warning systems, the Minister said, adding that technology plays a crucial role in improving the education, health, agriculture, and infrastructure development sectors. He also emphasized the government’s priority to expand telephone and internet access in the Sudurpashchim, Karnali, and Madhesh provinces.

Voices of Gen Z Representatives
Participants in the meeting emphasized the need for the government to build a society free of corruption and misgovernance

They urged the government to prioritize the use and expansion of IT, extend mobile phone networks across all regions of the country, improve the effectiveness of internet services, further Nepal Telecom (NT) services and the PAN system to support the digital economy, establish an effective national data center and re-launch public service programmes like Hello Sarkar.

Among the Gen Z representatives present in the discussion were Gaurab Pandey, Yujan Raj Bhandari, Sudip Lamichhane, Ayush Kaji Dangol, Ashish Rimal, and Nikesh Karmacharya. They collectively emphasized the urgency of digital reform and the promotion of innovation.

Dangol specifically called for simplified and easily accessible government service delivery with the incorporation of IT.