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Kathmandu Saturday January 26, 2002 Magh 13, 2058.
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Promoting IT
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, citing a need
to develop Information Technology (IT) the other day, urged national and foreign IT
investors to invest in this country. The Prime Minister was inaugurating the eighth CAN
Info Tech and Nepal IT show in the capital. He was, however, not very forthcoming on what
practical steps the government is going to take to attract foreign investments in this
sector. The country has been witness to poor IT growth although the government did decide
to develop an IT park at Dhulikhel. The government has neither given much importance to IT
education, nor has it been able to draw serious foreign investment in this sector. In
fact, a few IT firms established after the restoration of democracy have been closed down
as a result of poor infrastructure. It is also true that the country lacks a clear vision
for developing this sector, besides its poor record of IT related activities in general.
If the country had produced better IT experts and, subsequently, introduced IT friendly
policies, the CAN slogan of placing Nepal on global IT map would have been realised to
some extent. Unfortunately, the government did not take this vital sector with the
seriousness it deserves despite its oft-stated commitment to the country’s economic
development. A few IT firms located in the capital have been reluctant to move into the
rural areas. The government has not even adopted IT in state-run institutions and
corporations although the Prime Minister did say at the above mentioned function that this
is something that will be seen to.
Computer Association of Nepal (CAN) has been
raising IT awareness among the people by organizing Info Tech shows since 1994. Such IT
exhibitions are always held in the capital city as most IT firms are located here and the
proposed IT Park at Dhulikhel has shown no sign of developing yet. Neither has the
government’s IT policy 2000 on developing the IT park and simultaneously supporting
private IT firms brought any significant change in this sector. The government should have
learnt a few lessons on IT from India and China both of which have made a rapid progress
in this sector in recent years. India’s economic growth has picked up as a result of
a strong IT sector. Even Bangladesh has benefited from IT, leave aside other South Asian
countries. Our own government cannot ignore this vital sector when this country, given its
greater familiarity with the English language compared to other parts of the world, has a
competitive edge in developing a software industry and turning out IT manpower. This could
work wonders for our economic development and help reduce the existing rate of poverty.
The government must now go about setting up the national information technology council as
mentioned in the IT policy 2000 and provide a platform where IT experts can share their
knowledge and promote IT industry within the country. |
