The Himalayan Times - English Daily in its Sunday "Perspective" published today (April 15, 2007) an article by Rabindra Pokhrel based on the discussions with me (www.rajeshshakya.com) and Dr. Shailendra Sigdel on e-Governance in Nepal. Here is the full story. To view the article in the Himalayan Times Click Here.
Even as governance in Nepal goes off beam under grinding polarisation, IT experts and e-governance specialists have now taken up the cudgels to take governance to the next new level. While the world has moved on from e-governance to M-governance (mobile governance) to Ubiquitous government, these experts dream of delivering government services and information to public using electronic means to help governance evolve from the grassroots.
E-governance facilitates government an efficient, speedy and transparent process to disseminate information to the public and other agencies, and to perform government administration activities. Though Nepal is yet to take stock of the vast opportunities the use of Internet has opened up, Electronic Transaction Act, 2063 has taken Nepal further in the field of information and communication technology. A lot of initiatives have already been taken in the area, but specialists clamour for things to be implemented. A lot of measures are still to be taken for authenticity and confidence in online transactions.
Explains Rajesh Shakya, Chairman of Hi-Tech Valley, “Farmers in Mustang with access to Internet can sell their apples to dealers in Manhattan. Job opportunity available in Malaysia can be applied to from Bhojpur. Businesses and individuals can submit their income tax to the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) from their computers at home. A young entrepreneur can register him/herself a new
company through the Small and Cottage Industries Department without any harassment by unwanted brokers. A software freelancer in Pokhara can work for a buyer in Australia... and innumerable other possibilities are possible for anybody and everybody through the Internet.”
Shakya informs that the House of Representatives (HoR) of the government of Nepal approved the Electronic Transaction Act, 2063 on December 4, 2006, while the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MoEST) formulated the regulations. The new legislation has not only legalised all forms of electronic transactions and digital signatures, but has also clearly spelled out ways to regulate various computer-based activities and punish cyber crimes. The new legislation has set forth a legal framework, administrative and application mechanism for electronic transactions and digital signatures. Besides legal validity of electronic records and digital signatures, the Act has made a provision for Comptroller of Certification Authority (CCA).
“Electronic transactions and digital signatures is valid not only for the private sector but also for government agencies, which allows government offices to use electronic medium regarding tender notices, vacancy announcements and others. It also validates public procurement and acceptance of electronic applications. Even corporates could avail of the benefits of the new legislation, after ICT tools such as telephone, Internet connectivity is made accessible in all areas. ICT also has a vital role to play in all transactions that the government undertakes. It helps the government cut red-tapism, avoid corruption, and reach citizens directly,” says Dr Shailendra Sigdel, institutional and governance specialist.
But the legislation still suffers from a few setbacks.
“The current Electronic Transaction Act is limited in asymmetric cryptography with key pairs for digital authentication, whereas there are already several other promising authentication technology and algorithms popular and established in the world. Key pair concept is not wrong, but the Act should have opened up scope for possible future developments as well,” says Dr Sigdel.
Shakya points out another big issue — online payment method. He complains the absence of any Act, law or regulations or government directives, which allow conducting legal online financial transaction.
“I cannot imagine reaping the full benefits of Internet technology without online payment possibilities. The Electronic Transaction Act without a word on online payment is only half-done,” he opines.
He also emphasises on the need for government employees to change their mindset from “knowledge hiding” to “knowledge sharing”. Each component of e-governance, including “transparency”, has to be initiated as a mission and such initiations should be complemented by the appropriate legal infrastructure. Simply implementing software applications alone doesn’t bring a transparent system; it requires a whole lot of training and exercises for the government employees. On the other side of the coin, citizens should be aware enough to demand their ‘right to information’.
So what will be the suitable e-governance framework for our country?
Shakya answers, “We have to have a National Citizens database, in the real sense, which will be essential for all e-governance applications, vertical or horizontal. We should have acceptable standards for exchanging information securely with non-repudiation throughout the network, between citizens to government, and among government departments seamlessly. We have to establish data centres at the centre and regional centres to handle the administrative workflow automation, collaboration, interaction, authenticated exchange of information. We should have our administrative processes rightly empowered and reengineered, which can accelerate decision-making. Only then will the entire administrative agencies be able to contribute more for the national development, rather than being entangled in piles of files.”
Adds Dr Sigdel, “To make e-governance more comprehensive, it has to be developed into an institutional framework. Good governance, being an important goal of countries across the globe, has taken up initiatives for open and participatory governments. Freedom of information is being redefined and the Internet revolution has proved to be a powerful tool for good governance initiatives.”
“An important dimension of the Internet potential is the possibility of providing services anytime, anywhere. Along with this, there is a conscious effort to put the citizen as the centre of focus of the governance. Citizens are being perceived as customers and clients. E-governance has to be citizen friendly and based on the demand of citizens. Delivery of services to citizens is considered as a primary function of the government. Particularly in a country like Nepal, where the citizens are out of reach of government services because of diversity in many ways, e-governance should enable seamless access to information and seamless flow of information in any type of political state setup,” says Shakya.
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