Kathmandu, January 25

CAN InfoTech, a mega event of Nepal’s information and communication technology (ICT) sector, kicked off in the Capital, today.

Inaugurating the six-day event, organised by CAN Federation, Minister for Information and Communications Mohan Bahadur Basnet stated that the country’s development process is directly linked to the development of ICT sector and thus, both the government and private sector should work together to promote the use of ICT in every sector.

“The state of the ICT industry of any country reflects the development of that country. If Nepal is to have any significant development, the growth of the ICT industry is a must and such ICT events are crucial to increase people’s access to technological use,” said Basnet.

Speaking on the occasion, Hemanta Chaurasia, president of CAN Federation, said that the CAN InfoTech primarily aims to showcase new technological developments that have taken place around the world in the field of ICT and increase people’s access to information and technology.

“CAN InfoTech has been a flagship programme of CAN Federation. We have been hosting the event every year since 1995 to promote the use of information and technology in every sector and gradually transform Nepal into an e-country,” said Chaurasia.

According to officials of CAN Federation, CAN InfoTech this year is being participated by a majority of IT companies of the country along with a few international IT firms. Participating IT firms have been showcasing their products and services through 222 stalls in the event, as per the organisers.

The event is basically promoting products and services related to hardware sales and maintenance, power solution, mobile accessories, internet service providers, telecommunication, ICT colleges and training institutes, software solution and payment solution, among others.

As per Chaurasia, participating IT firms have also announced lucrative offers for customers on internet services and different other products throughout the event.

As part of the event, CAN Federation is also organising a two-day International ICT Conference on Monday and Tuesday on the theme of ‘Information and Communication Technology for Sustainable Development’. The conference is expected to promote the idea and use of smart city, smart village, smart agriculture, smart education and smart health, among others, in Nepal.

CAN Federation expects to draw over 400,000 visitors this year during the event. While it has fixed an entry fee of Rs 100 for general visitors, the charge for students has been set at Rs 50.