Govt prioritising telecom quality, digital infrastructure expansion: Minister Timilsina

KATHMANDU: Minister for Communications and Information Technology Dr. Bikram Timilsina has said the government is giving special priority to improving the quality of telecommunications services and expanding digital infrastructure across the country.

Responding to lawmakers’ queries during deliberations on the ministry’s budget in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Minister Timilsina outlined the government’s efforts to modernise the communications sector and enhance service delivery.

He said Fiber to the Home (FTTH) services have already been extended to all 77 district headquarters, with work underway to expand the service to every ward of municipalities and rural municipalities. The government has also accelerated the installation of optical fiber networks along major road corridors, including the Mid-Hill Highway.

According to the minister, mobile network infrastructure has been established at 763 locations so far, while procurement procedures for an additional 1,597 BTS and eNodeB units will move forward in the next fiscal year.

Addressing concerns over the traditional nature of postal services, Timilsina said the government is working to make the system faster, more efficient, and technology-friendly. A budget of Rs 25 million has been allocated to build IT infrastructure in 50 more local-level post offices in the coming fiscal year.

He added that the Nepal Digital Transformation Project (NDTP) will support the modernisation of postal services. Currently, postal offices in 62 districts are delivering important documents such as passports, driving licences, and land ownership certificates directly to citizens’ homes.

The minister also highlighted government initiatives to promote Nepal’s film industry through policy reforms and infrastructure development. He said a new film bill is under discussion in a parliamentary committee and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to establishing filmmaking as a recognised industry.

The state-of-the-art film studio under construction in Banepa, Kavrepalanchok, is expected to be completed within the next year. For the first time, the government has also allocated Rs 35 million in grants for the production of culturally and nationally significant films.

On security printing, Timilsina claimed substantial progress in addressing long-standing challenges. Of the 2.9 million pending driving licences, 1.8 million have already been printed, and the remaining backlog is expected to be cleared within the current fiscal year.

He said the Security Printing Centre has been upgraded to ensure driving licences can be issued immediately upon demand from the next fiscal year. A budget of Rs 324.7 million has been allocated to the centre for the upcoming year.

Responding to lawmakers’ concerns over budget allocation and transparency, the minister stated that despite limited resources, sufficient funding has been earmarked for digital priorities such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and the data economy.

Rejecting claims that more than Rs 3 billion had been left unallocated, he said every budget heading has been transparently entered into the Line Ministry Budget Information System (LMBIS) and pledged that not a single rupee would be misused.

Minister Timilsina also expressed commitment to incorporating lawmakers’ constructive suggestions into future policymaking and improving accountability in public service delivery.