Cashing The Technology
This year the technology show revealed the practical usage of modern IT tools
By SANJAYA DHAKAL
Do you feel bored to go to the grocery store every so often to replenish the vanishing stocks in your refrigerator? Do not worry. The new technology has arrived in Nepal also whereupon you can order the goods you need from the comfort of your house by placing electronic orders via the internet connection.
Muncha.com was one of the most innovative stalls at the recently held 12 th Computer Association of Nepal (CAN) Information Technology Show 2006. The stall showcased the fusion of tradition and modernity to inform the visitors how they can make use of 21 st century technology to perform the mundane tasks like shopping for groceries.
“You can just log on to our site and place orders. We can provide you every kind of grocery items, essential goods and electronic gadgets. You can just type on the quantity of certain goods you need, give your address and wait for our delivery at your doorsteps,” said Tika Kandel of muncha.com. From rice and pulses to oils and toiletries and from sarees and suits to exercising machines, you can order practically everything you need in your house. “And if you need same goods in regular periods of time – say once a month, you can just indicate that when you place order and there will be no need to go through the whole procedure every time you need something.”
Mucnha.com has been engaging in this sort of e-commerce for five years now. Till now, however, their major clients include Nepalese living abroad. “They frequently place orders for gift items and presents during special festivals like Dashain, Mother’s Day etc for their relatives living in Nepal ,” said Kandel. Although only 300,000 people in Nepal currently use internet and very few of them are knowledgeable in e-commerce, Kandel believes the market will grow in the coming years.
Other attractions at the IT show this year was the launch of Nepali software programs. Now the people who do not understand English can easily use programs like Windows in Nepali. This program priced at Rs 250 is extremely helpful for the Nepali-speaking majority population. The program was launched by Unlimited Numedia Private Limited in cooperation with Microsoft company.
Likewise, Nepalinux program priced at Rs 100, provide Nepali-speakers with the Nepali-language computer operating system.
These apart, the show presented all kinds of solutions to hardware and software problems. Ipods, mobile sets, computers, laptops, electronic gadgets, copiers, faxes, printers etc were on the display. Even solutions like accounting software called Swastik Quick Accounting and Red Hat’s global learning services were presented at the show.
The huge number of visitors and stalls show the growing attraction and expansion of IT industry in the country in spite of slowdown in other economic sectors. In a world that is increasingly based on knowledge economy, progress in IT industry is key to all round economic progress.
The IT show 2006 was participated by 110 companies including four Indian ones. There were 180 stalls showcasing various IT products and services. During the week-long show that ended on March 28, the CAN IT 2006 hosted international IT seminar on March 24-26 on issues like IT infrastructure, software development, use of ICT in socio-economic development, use of e-commerce, e-governance and so on.
