Lalitpur: Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Jagadish Kharel, has announced that initiatives are being undertaken to propel Nepal forward on the digital front. During the ‘Startup Summit 2025’ held today in Lalitpur, he revealed that the government had enacted the National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy within three months of its establishment, and efforts are in progress to develop the policy framework for Digital Nepal.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the Startup Summit is co-organized by The Startup Network Nepal and India Nepal Centre. Minister Kharel emphasized the need to advance alongside the younger generation to establish Digital Nepal. He invited collaboration with the government in innovation, startups, entrepreneurship, and information technology, encouraging the submission of proposals to create opportunities together.
Minister Kharel expressed the intention to formulate a policy framework that addresses the necessity for youth to excel in information technology, AI, and digital avenues. He noted the recognition of the Gen Z movement as a people’s movement, highlighting the evolution of political consciousness among Gen Z, which enables policy-driven change aligned with youth aspirations.
While Minister Kharel acknowledged the potential of facilitating voting through information technology for the election on March 5, he stated that this was not feasible this time due to a lack of general consensus. He stressed the importance of the forthcoming election as a moment to choose capable leaders for the parliament.
Manjeev Singh Puri, the former Indian Ambassador to Nepal and Chairman of the India Nepal Centre, underscored the transformative power of technology and the necessity for its proper implementation.