Kathmandu, March 23:

Industry insiders from the field of information technology have criticised the government for turning a deaf ear to the effective advancement of IT sector, despite the formation of the IT policy in 2000.

The government has been very slow when it comes to the implementation of IT related policies, particularly in comparison to other countries. Biplav Man Singh, president of Computer Association of Nepal (CAN), said that the government only makes policies but cannot implement them effectively.

“We have a Cyber Law. However, we are yet to establish cyber courts for conflict management,” said Singh while speaking at the 12th CAN InfoTech conference which kicked off today at the Birendra International Convention Centre (BICC).

Dr Tulsi Giri, vice-chairman of the council of ministers, commented that IT’s development has opened the doors for sound economic prosperity.

He said that the government is mostly focusing its work on building infrastructure for ICT. Requesting the private sector to help bolster government initiatives in boosting IT development, Dr Giri said, “There is a reduction in digital divide, thanks to the expansion in telecentres across the country.”

Singh said that due to the lack of inter-ministerial coordination, ICT’s development is going backwards. He informed at the conference that the IT Park in Dhulikhel is ready and a Dutch company is going to commence operations from April 1.

However, he expressed concern that there is no rent rate or facilities listed for a Nepali company that might be willing to set up shop there. He asked why there is a discrimination between Nepali and foreign companies.

“There is a need to encourage Nepali companies instead of foreign companies if we are really serious about boosting our economy,” said Singh.

Sharad Chandra Shah, vice-president of High Level Commission for ICT, said that the government has invested a lot of ‘money and time’ to boost the physical infrastructures of IT. Shah said that the IT park is lucrative to foreign investors.

Bibek Rana of CAN said that the six-day meet would turn out to be an effective platform to develop ICTs in Nepal. He stressed on the need to advance IT for socio-economic development by addressing problems at the national and international level.

He said that ICT can be used to improve macro-economic conditions, governance and local administration.

Rana said that this time, 120 IT-related firms have set up 170 stalls in which various products and se-rvices are on exhibit.

On the sidelines of the conference, interactions on various issues such as e-government, information, telecommunications, e-security, IT park and IT city in are taking place among invited experts, he added.