Driving licences will be printed within 24 hours : Minister Timilsina

By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, Apr. 18: Minister of Communication and Information Technology Dr. Bikram Timilsina reached the Security Printing Centre located in Panauti Municipality-5, Kavre and took on-site information about the latest status of printing of driving licenses.

During the inspection, Minister Dr. Timilsina said that the government is currently prioritising public service delivery reforms and is working to end the situation where citizens do not get licenses for a long time after passing the trial.

He also informed that the system of printing and handing over licenses within 24 hours of paying revenue after passing the trial has been implemented from today.

Minister Dr. Timilsina said that the goal is to speed up the license printing process and print all the remaining licenses by the end of June, 2026. 

Now the trend of holding back the possible work as impossible will end. "The problem of not getting a license for months after passing the trial has been eliminated and the printing process can be completed within 24 hours of paying the revenue," he said.

During the inspection, Minister Dr. Timilsina emphasised the need to develop the Security Printing Centre as an important asset of the state and a potential institution.

Stating that making this centre effective has been his priority since the first day of assuming the office, he said that problems had become complicated in various bodies in the past due to the lack of necessary willpower and readiness. He emphasised that institutional responsibility should be increased by solving those problems now. 

Minister Dr. Timilsina directed for the effective use of the equipment at the centre and expressed dissatisfaction over the fact that the equipment purchased with a large investment has been unused for years.

He said that the equipment, generators and other materials worth about one billion rupees should be put into use. He also raised the question of why work could not be done in the past when the machines that had been idle for three years have now been brought into operation and printing work is possible.

During the inspection, Minister Dr. Timilsina directed to give high priority to the data security of citizens and made it clear that the government will operate only in the interest of the people.

“The government does not operate in anyone’s interests, but in the interests of the people,” he said. He also said that the ministry is committed to working with the service recipients at the centre, listening to complaints and resolving them.

Similarly, Minister Dr. Timilsina said that improving the access and quality of mobile network and internet services across the country is also a priority for the ministry. He said that the goal is to resolve complaints about the quality of Nepal Telecom’s services and bring access to technology to all citizens of the country within the next one year.

Devraj Dhungana, Executive Director of the Secure Printing Centre, informed that they are preparing a business plan with the aim of strengthening this organisation in the long term. He said that in the future, important documents including passports, checkbooks, smart cards, postage stamps, excise stickers can be printed from this centre. Dhungana said that the centre has submitted a detailed plan to the government with a budget of about Rs. 8 billion.

According to Executive Director Dhungana, currently around 40,000 licenses are being printed daily. He informed that the licenses required for Nepali citizens going abroad are given priority and the Department of Transport Management receives around 1,000 applications daily. He said that the target is to print 1.2 million licenses by April 25 and the remaining 1.7 million licenses by the end of June, 2026. 

MPs Madhu Kumar Chaulagain, Dr. Ram Lama, Badan Kumar Bhandari, newly elected lawamker from Kavre, and others were present on the occasion. Minister Dr. Timilsina also inquired about the physical infrastructure, machinery and condition of the vacant building of the centre.