Mahendranagar, September 7 :

Minister for Information and Communications Dilendra Prasad Badu today said that the draft of the law on the right to information was in the final stage.

Talking to journalists in Mahendranagar, Badu said the high-level media commission would table its suggestions within a week and that an ordinance based on the same will be tabled in Parliament.

Badu added that the government communications agencies too will face competition once the new law is implemented.

The role of the press would be significant in institutionalising democracy, he said.

The minister said that Nepal Telecom’s work of installing the optical fiber system from Banke’s Kohalpur to Mahendranagar would start soon. Pointing out that the repair work of the telephone repeater towers destroyed during the conflict was over, Minister Badu said the towers would be ready for operation before Tihar, adding that the government is committed to extending mobile services to all villages.

The government has modified its policy on the advertisement with a view to promoting journalism in peripheral areas, he said, adding that major government notices will be given to local newspapers as well for publication.

“Fiscal regulations are due for amendments for the purpose,” he said.