Minister Sharma terms IT as a foundation for good-governance

Minister for Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharma has said that use of information technology was a crucial foundation for good-governance and prosperity.

Addressing a session on 'Digital Nepal: Entrepreneurship and Future of Innovation' as part of the third Nepal Youth Entrepreneurship Summit organised by National Youth Council on Saturday, Minister Sharma stated that information and technology sector serves as a bridge to retain youth within the country and employ them in the creative works.

On the one hand, we shall move ahead on the path to good-governance, development and prosperity while implementing the Digital Nepal Framework while, on the other, we shall be able to maintain national and social unity once hundreds of thousands of youths are engaged in entrepreneurship and innovation.

"I would like to make special appeal to the youths to contribute to the nation's prosperity along with their bright future by joining the entrepreneurship and innovation through the information technology," Minister Sharma added.

On the occasion, Minister Sharma, who is also the government spokesperson, said that the formulation of laws and policies in the IT sector was in the government priority adding that cyber security policy was passed to make this sector more systematic.

With the approval of the cyber security policy, ways have been clear to make cyber security centre and cyber security law and shared that the ministry was drafting the laws for information technology, cyber security, data security and safe use of social sites.

Saying that brain drain has become a key issue in the country at present, Minister Sharma argued that IT sector could be a lucrative sector for making decent income within the country.

Sharma stated that basis would be prepared for knowledge-based society and digital economy adding that the targets of development and prosperity would be obtained through maximum utilization of digital technology.

Minister Sharma was of the view that digitalization would be effectively implemented in all spheres through the implementation of Digital Nepal Framework.

Likewise, she shared that the government has taken a policy to spend one percent of the government's total capital expenditure in research and development (R&D) and innovation.

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