Kathmandu: The E-Governance Board under the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (OPMCM) today unveiled the ‘E-Governance Blueprint’ targeting transformative changes in government affairs through digital technology, aiming to make public services paperless.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the draft of the Blueprint, prepared on January 27, was released today, as stated by Board’s Chief Executive Officer Dipesh Bista. Prior to this, the Board engaged in discussions and interactions with multiple stakeholders to gather inputs regarding the draft.
The document emphasizes the government’s commitment to enhancing government services to be achievable, prompt, transparent, accountable, and effective with digital technology, reducing the need for physical presence at service delivery facilities. Objectives highlighted include the development of infrastructure, policy, and legal frameworks necessary for digital system implementation, institutional capacity enhancement, and facilitation for digital governance innovation, research, and development efforts.
The blueprint outlines seven strategic pillars for digital transformation: a governance framework for digital governance, legal and regulatory frameworks, digital literacy and skill development, digital standards, formulation and implementation of guidelines, strengthened regional and international cooperation, and innovation, research, and development. It incorporates the essence of ICT Policy of Nepal – 2072 BS, Government Enterprise Architecture Directive-2076 BS, and Digital Nepal Framework-2076 BS.
Amidst the rapid advancement of IT, the Blueprint aims to strengthen inter-agency coordination through data exchange, pressuring public service delivery to become more transparent and effective. It was prepared considering global compacts, government stacks, and internationally recognized models, necessitating a national strategic document.
The blueprint also addresses challenges such as the low role of the board on policy-level issues, functional problems, management framework issues for e-governance, and the lack of a citizen service center for facilitating public service delivery. It identifies problems in formulating digital guidelines and directives, strengthening regional and international cooperation, and making public procurement more transparent and competitive.
The document outlines activities for the next three years, including drafting an e-governance act, restructuring the Department of Information Technology, establishing a Data Protection Authority, and creating a data exchange platform. After receiving the final draft prepared by international consultants with technical support from the United Nations Development Programme on April 29, 2024, it was adapted from Nepal’s perspective. The final draft from Nepali consultants was received on September 30, 2024, and finalized on January 27, 2025. The fifth meeting of the E-Governance Board, chaired by the Chief Secretary on January 28, decided to send the blueprint draft to the concerned body for feedback.