Govt approves National AI Policy-2025

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Aug. 15: The government has finally initiated a significant endeavour to incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into its national strategy with the introduction of the National AI Policy-2025.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on August 11 took the decision to endorse the National AI Policy-2025. The decision in this regard was made public by Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, at a press conference held in Singha Durbar on Thursday. 

The AI policy serves as a foundational document for fostering AI innovation and governance, with the goal of transforming Nepal into an AI-centric nation, in line with the swift technological progress observed worldwide. 

The meeting also made 18 other decisions, including fixing the toll for the Sisnekhola-Nagdhunga Tunnel Road Project.

According to the decision, the toll rates for the Nagdhunga Tunnel have been fixed. Under this arrangement, cars and vans will be charged Rs. 65 when entering Kathmandu and Rs. 60 when leaving or returning from Kathmandu. 

Similarly, mini-buses and trucks will be charged Rs. 115 when entering Kathmandu and only Rs. 80 when leaving from Kathmandu. Likewise, buses and large trucks will be charged Rs. 260 when entering Kathmandu and Rs. 200 when leaving. 

Any vehicle carrying heavy equipment will be charged Rs. 600 when entering Kathmandu and Rs. 250 when leaving, said Minister Gurung as the press conference. The Sisnekhola-Nagdhunga tunnel, built at a cost of Rs. 23 billion, will require Rs. 400 million annually for operation. The government has also been planning to bring in an international-level service provider company for its operation.

Senior Divisional Engineer Sanjaya Panthi for the Department of Road said that the operating costs of the Nagdhunga tunnel will be covered through toll tax. 

Vehicles travelling to and from Kathmandu via the Prithvi Highway can use this tunnel by paying the specified fee. 

It is estimated that 60 per cent of such vehicles will use the tunnel. According to Engineer Panthi, this will generate more than Rs. 400 million annually in toll revenue.

Meanwhile, the government has appointed Sandip Rai of Panchthar as general manager of the National News Agency (Rastriya Samachar Samiti).

The government has also approved the visit of Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey to take part in the Forty-Second Session of the Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organisation to be held in Montreal of Canada from September 23 to October 3.

The government has also endorsed foreign visit of one Major General of the Nepali Army and extended the term of one Brigadier General, appointed Dr. Ramesh Prasad Chaulagain as expert member to the National Cooperatives Regulatory Authority. 

Further, the Cabinet meeting endorsed the visit of Minister for Energy, Water Resource and Irrigation Deepak Khadka to South Korea to take part in the Global Infrastructure Cooperation Conference to be held from September 16 to 18.

Minister Gurung said that the government has fixed the minimum support price of Mota paddy at Rs. 3,463.81 per quintal and Rs. 3,628.33 per quintal for Medium-quality paddy.