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Kathmandu Sunday January 27, 2002 Magh 14, 2058.
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E-business grips Nepal as IT
revolution sets in
By Satyendra Timilsina
KATHMANDU, Jan 26: Each day new developments are
taking place in the Information Technology (IT) corridors throughout the world. Nepal
undoubtedly lags far behind, but IT revolution even in this landlocked country has begin
to set in.
The notable changes are now seen in business
transactions that are becoming more remote and hi-fi. A computer or a micro-card, and
Internet access, are all that are needed in the world of IT.
After all, how can Nepal afford to stay aloof
from the world’s fast growing IT sector that has brought significant change in the
mode of transactions in developed economies through e-commerce?
The initiation taken some years back through the
opening of online shopping websites, and the launching of some more recently, are steps
that will lead Nepal to the new era of business through IT.
"Nepal has a very high prospects for
e-commerce," says Atmaram Acharya, Secretary General of Computer Association of Nepal
(CAN). With the growing number of Internet users each year and the lucrative offers of the
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for the Internet promotion, net-based business would
grow significantly, Acharya says.
Acharya points out that the only hurdle is the
high telecom tariff that is in the way of growth of Internet users in Nepal. "If a
separate line is provided to the Internet users at minimal cost, the sector will see
robust growth," he claims.
Though the figures for the Internet account
holders was 25,000 the last year, it is expected to have increased by 30 per cent, say the
CAN authorities. And with the assumption that four people uses each account, the total
number of Internet users is 150,000, they say.
At a time when Nepal lacks required sound
infrastructure in IT sector to take a wider step towards Internet based business, Kumari
Bank recently launched its new service–Internet Banking. Though the initial offerings
of the service are limited, it is a positive step towards exploring the potentials of
e-commerce in the country.
However, the concept may be to some extent
blighted by the unorganised sector through which a chunk of personal credit is covered.
More than 80 per cent of flow of personal credits are takes place through the informal
sector that comprises local money lenders, relatives and friends. With banking habit of
the individuals very low, the concept of Internet Banking may be beyond the thought of the
general mass.
Unless the banking habits of the residents
increase significantly, not much can however be expected for a leap in e-commerce, where
Internet Banking is a basic requirement.
The Internet users represent a mere 0.04 per
cent of the total population. Assuming that a majority of the Internet users are in the
Kathmandu, the number of Internet users is less than 8 per cent of the population of
Kathmandu district.
"We should focus to market our products
through web, which is one aspect of e-commerce," says Acharya. "The IT sector
must be used for business promotion," he adds.
Internet Banking deals with the internal
business comprising the payments and the delivery of the products would grow in a
significantly after the growth of banking habits only.
With the eighth CAN Info-Tech currently underway
in the capital, entrepreneurs expect that IT will get a further boost.
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