Services
NITC has been providing Internet connectivity and email services to various government entities. It renders assistance in updating and operating websites of all the agencies of Nepal Government and also serves as data depository by collecting all types of data at the national level. To promote information communication technology to rural sectors it provides easy access to information on important sectors like agriculture, education and health including the installation and maintenance of rural tele-centers in different parts of the nation. The goal is to empower citizens, promote democracy and facilitate good governance and sustainable development through the use of Information and Communication Technology.
NITC has its main objective to build knowledge based society by supporting knowledge based institutions and industries as well as promote and develop Information Communication Technology (ICT) by making it accessible to the general public and to implement the policies and the plans on information communication technology, monitor, supervise and regulate activities carried out by the private sector.
NITC is responsible for implementing information communication technology related plans and policies, assist the government in all forms of computer related tasks, design and launch websites for all government organizations and assist in timely manner in maintaining and operating of the same, administer the development of required coding and standards to engender uniformity in information communication technology, abide by the same and put it into operation, assist in research and development of information communication technology, pass all policies, annual and periodic plans, programs and budgets for the committee and manage the required funds for the implementation of the same, do other provisional work for the development of information communication technology as required by the government to develop the technology at a national level, collect all types of statistics and also work as data depository and information bank.
NITC renders assistance in all kinds of computer related services of the government, designing, updating and operating websites of all the agencies related to the government of Nepal, collecting all types of data at the national level, act as data bank of information and assist in computerization of records in government offices and in developing and expanding contents, act as a regulator for the healthy development of Information Communication Technology, deliver card based attendance system within the government offices, arrange coding and standardization methodology required to bring about uniformity in all aspects of Information Communication Technology through implementation and monitoring of the same and implementing government 10th plan.
The focal areas of NITC are e-Government, Tele-center, Data-Bank, Human Resource Development, Research and Development, Consultancy and Advisory Services and Information Communication Technology for Development respectively. If the nation�s traditional administrative management practice could be turned into managed fashion through electronic medium, the administrative management work style could be improved. This in turn would enhance the services offered to the general public by increasing the efficiency and working capabilities of the civil servants. Keeping this in mind, NITC is in the process of implementing e-government in the country. The development of master plan which will later be implemented in a stepwise manner has been completed. With a vision of expanding the reach of technology of information and communication in the field of agriculture, education, health, production and other economic activities; so that its extensive use is made for poverty alleviation and raising the living standards of the rural people.
According to the Information Communication Technology Regulation 2057, NITC bears the responsibility to act as the data depository and information bank by collecting all types of data and statistics at the national level and also implement computerized data keeping and enhancing related facilities. It is making arrangement for the establishment of computerized data bank with all the socioeconomic as well as demographic statistics. Objective of establishing a data center is to provide e-Government service model to the central government departments, government agencies and local governments. As required by different government bodies, NITC provides necessary training and study programmes to develop knowledge and skill in information communication technology for the employees of different government bodies. Moreover, it has been conducting yearly computer training programme on �Computer Basics� for women staff of Nepal Government. It also offers some packaged training programs according to the need and demand.
NITC has been assisting the government in research and development in information communication technology. It has already engendered yearly programme to study the status of the Free Open Source Software (FOSS) in the educational institutes and to assess existing demand and to implement in the education sector. NITC will continue to work on this sector in order to cut down the dependency on proprietary software and thus promote the use of FOSS in the country.
Challenge
Consultancy and Advisory Services are the routine jobs of this center. It does not restrict to limited users. Any user, an individual or an organization, can seek advice on total computing know-how or concepts. NITC has been providing consultancy services on IT infrastructure planning, management, procurement and training to all prospective individuals and institutions. Advances in Information and Communications Technologies are transforming the world economy and presenting new challenges to all countries. The challenge for developing country like Nepal is to compete effectively in an emerging information-based economy and reduce the poverty level. Information and Communication Technology can be one of the biggest enabler of socio-economic advancement of marginalized segment of Nepal.
NITC in close collaboration with other government agencies, non governmental organization and bilateral organization should carry out various programmes related to Information Communication Technology for Development so as to make ICT a developmental tool of modern Nepal.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): S. K. Shrestha
Quelle/Source: Gorkhapatra, 27.01.2008
