Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MoCIT) Gyanendra Bahadur Karki has said that there is a need to provide services provided by the state by connecting the target group with information and technology. He also mentioned the need to seriously analyze whether the target group has benefited from it.
Inaugurating the 'SMS Gateway' constructed by the Department of Information Technology at the Ministry on Wednesday, Minister Karki directed to focus on the implementation side of such programs along with the inauguration. He said, "For the purpose of launching 'SMS Gateway' for its full success, the current enthusiasm should be in implementation."
He wished to connect the target group with information, communication and technology and urged them to focus on maintaining security and credibility. "The state should continue to provide services to the people as much as possible and the society should be able to take advantage of that opportunity. When the society benefits, the state itself benefits. For that, our every step should be directed," said Minister Karki.
He directed to move ahead by analyzing the program in two / three months, reviewing how much the sector was affected and how much the society benefited. He said that only the result of the work will be achieved.
With the launch of SMS Gateway, a tripartite agreement has been signed between the Department of Information Technology on behalf of the operator, Nepal Telecom and Ncell on behalf of the SMS service provider and the Office of the Attorney General, Department of Transport Management, Ministry of Labor, Employment and Transport, Bagmati Pradesh.
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary at the Ministry, Dr. Vaikuntha Aryal, said that the launch of this work would make it easier for the government bodies to connect with the people. He emphasized the need to focus on the risks involved and to be prepared for the consequences. He suggested reviewing each phase of the implementation of the SMS Gateway and making necessary modifications.
At present, government agencies are paying a fee of 50 Paisa per SMS, but after the implementation of this system, the fee will be only 20 paisa per SMS, according to the department.
Using the integrated 'SMS Gateway' operated by the Department of Information Technology, government agencies will be able to communicate effectively with employees and the public (sending and receiving information on various events, payments and messages in a timely manner) at minimal charges.
Director General of the Department, Prem Sharan Shrestha, said that an integrated report of the SMS sent by the government body to provide services could be received. He clarified that in this system direct connectivity with different telecommunication service providers and management of servers will be done by only one body instead of all government agencies taking the service. Based on the total number of SMS used by different government bodies, minimum fee per SMS can be maintained.
Although only a few agencies have started using this gateway at present, in the coming days, other government agencies providing SMS services will also be connected to the system, said Director General Shrestha.
