Kathmandu, September 18:

A three-day-long meeting of the 27th Study Group of the Asia-Pacific Tele Community organised by the Ministry of Information and Communication has kicked off in Kathmandu today.

Altogether 33 policy makers from 18 nations of the Asia-Pacific Region have been participating at the meeting aimed at discussing various aspects of information technology, including its development, expansion and resolution of problems in the region.

The meet will discuss possible development of the information technology in the nations, including Nepal, India, China, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Iran, Malaysia and Thailand. The meet is also slated to discuss the report prepared by the Study Group as well as prepare further planning, sources said.

Inaugurating the meeting, Minister for Information and Communication Krishna Bahadur Mahara said the government has prioritised to set up tele centres in rural areas to make information technology accessible for the rural people. He said that expanding the network of information technologies is still challenging because of geographical conditions.

Mahara informed that the government is making efforts to enhance capacity of tele centres and use new technologies.

Secretary of Ministry of Information and Technology, Shankar Koirala, said the government is committed to expanding information technology and making information accessible in rural areas through telecentre. Chairman of the Nepal Telecommunication Authority, Dr Dineshchandra Sharma, shed light on activities carried out in the information technology sector. General Secretary of the Asia-Pacific Tele Community, Amrendra Narayan, expressed hope that the meet will help formulate more reform policy for telecommunication.