1.10 Use of computer, internet, social networking, information-communication technology in public service delivery; opportunities and challenges

Use of ICT in Public Service Delivery: Opportunities and Challenges

Public Service

Public services are equitable services provided by the government or public entities related to public life and development. These are "womb to tomb" services delivered by the government, representing the state's responsibility and citizens' rights, ensuring fundamental rights and basic entitlements.

Public Service Delivery

1. Public service delivery is the arrangement to provide public services as per prevailing laws, policies, periodic and sectoral plans, budgets, and public demands, ensuring specified quality, simple processes, quantity, and timeliness.
2. It is the mechanism for delivering various essential public goods and services as a basic government responsibility.
3. Methods of public service delivery include:

• Direct: Direct delivery through government mechanisms.
• Outsourcing: Contracting private sector for services the government could perform but finds inefficient in time, investment, or productivity.
• Co-Production: Public-private-community partnerships.
• Contracting Out: Delegating difficult tasks to private or non-governmental organizations.
• Third Party Government: Delivery through NGOs/CBOs.
• Community-Driven Delivery: Community-level funds for service operations.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

ICT is the technology for creating, storing, retrieving, managing, and transmitting information through electronic means. It includes audio, video, images, numbers/letters, and symbols processed via computers and telecommunications for storage, editing, dissemination, collection, and flow.

• Hardware: Tangible electronic equipment like computers, laptops, monitors, keyboards, mobiles, radios, cameras, televisions, satellites, hard disks, CDs.
• Software: Integrated programs controlling computer operations (system software, application software, utility software).
• Network: Computer system networks like Ethernet, Wi-Fi, broadband, WWW, internet (LAN/MAN/WAN).

Computer Generations

Generations based on processing, storage, networking capabilities, and chips (1st to 5th Generation under development). From Integrated Circuits (IC) to AI, robotics, bio-chips, supercomputers. Network generations: 3G, 4G, 5G (speeds: 2-8Mbps, up to 32Mbps, 60Mbps-2Gbps), with features like speed, low latency, efficiency, no interference, massive network capacity, supporting AI, IoT, smart life, bio-chips.

Social Networking/Media

Social media is computer-based technology for sharing ideas, creations, and information among virtual networks, communities, and members. It uses user-generated digital content (photos, videos, text). Based on Web 2.0, end-user-driven, interactive. Popular platforms: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, Blogs, Twitter. Limited-access social media also exist. Widely used for advertising, broadcasting, relationship building, reputation, popularity, and group formation.

Opportunities Created by ICT

• Efficiency, Transparency, Legitimacy: Enhances public services through technology, improving efficiency, transparency, and credibility.
• Fast and Secure: Enables quick and secure service delivery.
• Access: Increases public access to services.
• Interactive: Facilitates easy collection of public demands, needs, grievances, and feedback.
• Scope: Reaches a large population simultaneously.
• Control of Corruption: Effectively reduces corruption, irregularities, and delays.
• Predictability: Makes policies and laws accessible and predictable, aiding foreign investment attraction.
• Expansion: Expands services like education, health, and social security to remote and rural areas through electronic means.
• Competitiveness: Enables rapid production competitive with modern global products.
• E-Commerce: Supports online banking, trading, virtual markets.
• Smart Applications: Modernizes lifestyles through AI, apps, and tools.
• Agriculture and Tourism: Enables digital revolutions in these sectors.
• Disaster Risk Information: Uses early warning systems for weather/climate risks, aiding preparedness.
• Good Governance: Facilitates e-governance.
• Global Reach: Enables global access to information and communication technology.
• Low Weight, High Cost: Creates employment and export opportunities in software, apps, and databases despite challenging geography.
• ICT Entrepreneurship: Makes Nepal attractive for ICT enterprises through government enterprise architecture, interoperability, technology neutrality, network convergence, IP protection, cyber security, universal access, infrastructure synergy, and public-private partnerships.
• Knowledge-Based Society: Builds an environment for an information and knowledge-based society.

Policy and Legal Provisions

• Information and Communication Technology Policy, 2072 BS
• Telecommunications Policy, 2060 BS
• Broadband Policy, 2071 BS
• Electronic Transactions Act, 2063 BS (Regulations, 2064 BS)
• Telecommunications Act, 2053 BS
• Right to Information Act, 2064 BS (Regulations, 2065 BS)
• Government Offices Email Management Guidelines, 2075 BS
• Government Offices Mobile Apps Standards, 2075 BS
• Online Media Operation Guidelines, 2073 BS
• Government Websites Construction and Management Guidelines, 2068 BS
• Information Technology System (Management and Operation) Guidelines, 2071 BS
• Sixteenth Plan (National IT Vision: Qualitative life changes through access to IT for all citizens, transforming quality of life via ICT for sustainable development)
• E-Governance Master Plan
• Digital Nepal Framework, 2076 BS

Institutional Arrangements

• Ministry of Communication and Information Technology
• Department of Information Technology
• Nepal Telecommunications Authority
• Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology and sectoral ministries
• Nepal Telecom, Ncell, ISPs
• Nepal Rastra Bank
• Office of the Controller of Certification
• NITC/GIDC (National Information Technology Center)
• IT Parks, CAN

ICT Usage Status/Operational Arrangements

• Government entity websites and email services, grievance redressal systems (Hello Sarkar, CIAA) operational.
• Management Information Systems (MIS) for specialized tasks (e.g., PIS, HMIS).
• Increased use of computer applications in public services (e.g., MRP, e-Vital Registration, GIS, Digital License, NID, E-bidding, Treasury Single Account (TSA), E-PAN, Online Taxation, ASYCUDA).
• Electronic financial services: Online Transactions, M/E-Banking, SMS Banking.
• E-education: Online Education, Training, Certification initiated and expanding.
• Digital document security and storage: Documents Digitization/Archiving.
• Government interactive presence on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Viber, Google+, WhatsApp).
• Public service-related apps (CIAA, Tourism) increasingly used.
• Services in remote areas via Telemedicine, Virtual Education, Video Conferencing.
• ICT played a crucial role during epidemics and disasters in bridging citizen-government relations.

Challenges in ICT Usage

• Low institutional capacity of public entities for ICT expansion.
• Persistent digital divide in society.
• Low adult literacy hindering digital literacy.
• Risks of misinformation via social media and electronic platforms.
• Insufficient investment in ICT infrastructure, technology, and research in developing nations.
• Need for investment in computer education and skilled manpower development.
• Increased internet expansion raising cyber insecurity risks.
• Protection of intellectual property through stronger laws and institutions.
• Development of ICT convergence-friendly policies and structures.
• Ensuring quality, reliability, and credibility of ICT.
• Energy crises hindering digital development and expansion.
• Sustainable management of electronic waste.
• Simplification of policy, legal, and procedural complexities.

Suggestions for Improvement

• Revise and simplify laws for electronic services and transactions.
• Expand ICT infrastructure development (electrification, networks, software).
• Invest in electronic education and capacity building (demand and supply sides - employees, public).
• Develop software (applications, databases) aligned with public entity objectives for e-transformation, automation, and online services.
• Adopt new technologies (AI, robotics, bio-chips).
• Ensure quality and certification.
• Promote and incentivize usage.
• Invest in research and exploration.
• Enhance cyber security.
• Collaborate with the private sector for co-investment, business incentives, discounts, and facilities.
• Implement digital dividends through special ICT zones, programs, and facilities.
• Reduce digital divide by expanding infrastructure, access, and opportunities to remote and rural areas.
• Make computer education mandatory from school level, and conduct digital literacy and awareness programs.
• Simplify policy, legal, and procedural complexities.

Suggestions in Brief

• Law revisions and simplifications, protocols.
• Electronic infrastructure development.
• Invest in electronic education and capacity building (demand side, supply side).
• Software development (applications, databases).
• Adopt latest technology (AI, robotics, bio-chips).
• Quality and certification.
• Expand and promote usage.
• Research, innovation.
• Security systems.
• Public-private partnerships.
• Policy and law creation, simplification for legal recognition, investment attraction, incentives, encouragement.

Statistics

• First use of computers in the national census of 2028 BS (1971 AD).
• Electricity access: 90% households (2078 BS).
• Mobile access: 100% (2078 BS).
• Internet access: 80% (2078 BS).
• Nepal’s E-Gov Index Rank: 125/193 (2022).
• E-Participation Index: 143/193 (2022).
• Digital Nepal Framework, 2076 BS: 8 sectors (agriculture, health, education, energy, tourism, finance, urban infrastructure, digital foundation - internet, literacy, governance/services), 80 major initiatives.
• Achievements (success indicators: technology and infrastructure, entrepreneurship and public-private partnerships, talent and skills).

Sample Questions

1. Discuss the opportunities brought by information and communication technology in public service delivery and suggest essential aspects to focus on for ICT-friendly administration.
2. What is meant by Office Automation System in public entities? Outline the development stages of such systems and discuss the main challenges in their operation.