STRENGTH

2.1.1. Key strength of HRDa:
Recently Started to produce manpower therefore could incorporate changes in the system to produce manpower as per the requirements of the market. b. Policy makers are aware of importance of IT application for the Development of the nation. c. New Institutions are emerging to fulfill the IT human resources. d. In IT Policy 2000 Government has declared A long-term program with a slogan "Computer education to all by 2010 A.D."

2.2. Institutional and legal framework of IT in GovernmentAlready, Ministry of Science and Technology has established the concept of IT park is developed and going ahead. Cyber laws formulation is in progress. Some sectors in government are using IT applications, generally speaking not enough Utilization of IT in the government. The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) has recently installed a VSAT to give Internet connections and develop government network between the government Ministries and Departments. With minor upgrading it will be able to provide access to rural areas up to Village development committee level. Mainly there are two high-level legal government committees, The National Information Technology Development Council (NITDC) and National Information Technology Co-ordination Committee (NITCC) are responsible for making IT plan and strategy in Nepal.

2.3. International and National projects activitiesSpecially, Financial Management Project (FMP), and Rural-Urban Partnership Program (RUPP) are dedicated to bring the concept of implementing E-Governance in Nepal. FMP is a joint venture project of DFID and HMG/N. It works for financial management sector since 9 years. The project is one of the highly successful project in the ranking of DFID and has provided major impact on enhanced cash flows, improved transparency and disbursement rates, reduced time in budget formulation, authorization and release, immediate financial management information for HMG/N and Donor, improved macro and micro economic management.
Bharatpur Municipality, being the first municipality to launch E-Governance in Nepal with support from RUPP/UNDP. After realizing the successful implementation of E-Governance in Bharatpur, RUPP is supporting remaining partner municipalities to replicate the model of E-Governance of Bharatpur. Municipalities where ISPs are available at the present situation have shown their keen interest in implementing E-Governance and have vigorously started the awareness on E-Governance in respective municipalities through the community mobilization process of RUPP. Most of these municipalities have completed the development of E-Governance portal as well. RUPP has supported all 12-partner municipalities to establish an Urban Information Center with well-trained staff permanently deputed to the Center. The staff was trained in line with the Municipality?s commitment to e-governance. Staffs have been deputed to operationalize the E-Governance unit of the municipality. Similarly, RUPP has also established a well-set Human Resource Development Center (HRDC), which, presently, has been strengthening to cater training and orientation regarding good governance and poverty alleviation.

2.4. Private sector activitiesMore than 500 Private training Institutes exist in operation but the quality and standard varies drastically. There are more than fifty private firms involved in the development of software for domestic market as well as foreign market for the last few years. Recently a number of foreign firms have started outsourcing their work into Nepal.

2.5. AssociationComputer Association of Nepal (CAN) was established in December 1992. The association has been formed as an autonomous, non-political, non-profit making service oriented organization with the involvement of professionals, specialists, vendors, software developers, manufacturers and information technology experts within the country.

2.6. Telephone and Internet InfrastructureWithout telephone or Internet no one can imagine E-governance mechanism. Telephone service is available to all the headquarters of the 75 districts. More then 15 ISPs are operating in main cities of the country. Average internet connection speed available to consumer are 33.6 kbps to 56kbps. The current international bandwidth (b/w) of Nepal for Internet is 12 Mbps downlink and 5Mbps uplink. Nepal Telephone Corporation is providing 9.6Kbps to 2048Kbps of leased line connectivity. ISPs of Nepal are providing e-mail, web designing, domain registration, web Hosting, Fax to Fax, GIS, e-commerce etc services

3. Opportunities