IT service to be added in civil service: Minister Sharma

Kathmandu, June 23 :  Minister for Communication and Information Technology Rekha Sharma shared that the government was considering adding a separate service- 'Information Technology Service' in the civil service.     

"The new move reflects the government's vision to move forward with a new vision and thinking while leveraging the development and expansion of the information technology for the economic prosperity and convenience of the public in availing the public services," Minister Sharma added.     

In the Digital Nepal Conclave-2023 organized by ICT Foundation Nepal and Huawei here today, Minister Sharma explained that the government understood the difficulties in the performances of the civil employees as well as the government in delivering public services in lack of diversification in the services. "Hence the new IT Service."     

Addressing the two-day event where ICT experts from South Korea, Japan, Singapore, India and Bangladesh among others are participating, the Communication and Information Technology Minister said the new IT service was going to be added in the new Civil Service Bill, being revised at present.     

Furthermore, she shared that the government was mulling adopting a 'hybrid model' in partnership with the private sector to further streamline delivery of the public offices and those recruited through the 'hybrid model' would be provided with additional facilities so as to make government's service delivery more result-oriented and public-centric.     

Minister Sharma also pledged to consider necessary amendments in the concept of 'Digital Nepal' envisioned by the government and implement it effectively. "The need of the hour to achieve Digital Nepal vision is intergovernmental coordination. A special project has been determined a special project for that and has made a headway towards this."     

Increasing digital literacy, according to her, was another top agenda of the government and the government was making coordinated efforts to expand more investment, search for opportunities and for research in this sector.     

Moreover, the Minister informed that preparation has been accelerated in regard to formulation of new policy and laws for cyber security. She spoke of the need for Nepal to reap benefit from neighbour countries India and China who, she added, had made a remarkable stride in the IT sector.     

"We could emulate good things from other keeping keep up with the world understanding our need of the hour."  (RSS)