Nepal Telecom should review its performance, Minister Gurung says

Kathmandu, Feb 4: Minister for Communications and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung has emphasized that Nepal Telecom should move forward by reviewing its performance.     

Addressing a programme organized by Nepal Telecom on its 21st anniversary here today, Minister Gurung said Nepal Telecom should seriously review its business operations, given that its income has been declining each year, while private telecommunications companies continue to advance.     

Government Spokesperson Gurung said, "We take pride in Nepal Telecom as one of the leading state-owned companies. However, its current pace does not work for Nepal Telecom in the competitive market. It will be regrettable if we fail to conduct a proper review right this time," he observed.     

He urged Nepal Telecom to adopt advanced technology and expand its services to compete effectively with the private companies.     

Gurung also emphasized that the public should hold at least 25 percent of Nepal Telecom's shares to ensure the company remains accountable to the people.     

"E-governance is linked to good governance. To achieve this, 4G services must be expanded to every village. This sector will experience significant growth if we can accomplish this," stated the Communications Minister.     

Saying that the telecom towers in the rural area still face operational challenges, he asked the officials of Nepal Telecom to prioritize quality and effective services.     

Similarly, Minister Gurung stated that the presence of Nepal Telecom was still poor in the densely populated districts of Tarai and directed the officials to ensure uninterrupted telecom services by developing adequate infrastructures in Tarai.     

On the occasion, Minister Gurung argued that the government registered the bill on regulating social networking sites in parliament for the management of the social media.     

Similarly, he said that the government is working to amend laws, Acts and legal instruments related to communications, information, and technology to position Nepal as an IT hub.     

During the event, Ministry's Secretary and Chairperson of Nepal Telecom Radhika Aryal called on the stakeholders to support the government's efforts to ensure the successful implementation of digitalization services across the country.(RSS)