RTF to be utilized in its infrastructure development
Kathmandu, Jan 19: The government has begun works regarding utilizing the amount collected in Rural Telecommunications Fund (RTF) for infrastructure development in the same sector. The fund has 12 billion rupees.
The Ministry of Information and Communications has carried out the plan to use the fund to reach the fast internet services after connecting the district headquarters through Optical Fiber Network.For the purpose, the government has issued Broadband Bank Policy-2071 BS and ICT Policy-2071 BS. The Telecommunications Authority informed it in the today’s meeting of the Development Committee under the Legislature-Parliament and stated that the Voice Call and Data Service will provide its services to about 90 per cent people in the country.
It is stated that only 11.8 million people have the internet access these days. Optical Fiber Network covers the East-West (from Mechi to Mahakali).
Similarly, the works regarding connecting the mid-hills highway was also in progress. The committee meeting has directed the authority to reach the advance internet services to the quake hit 14 districts.
Minister for Information and Communications Sherdhan Rai shared that he had directed to utilize the amount for the infrastructure development, adding that freezing the amount had no meaning.
He further added that he had directed the telecommunications providing organizations to upgrade in ‘4G’ system for e-governance, ‘smart city’ and wi-fi zone’ and the ministry would ease to increase the investment to make the services prompt and qualitative.
Minister Rai further informed that problem seen in telecommunications service would be removed soon as the concerned bodies were working for the same.
He further added that the telecommunications providing organizations would be provided fuels not to let their services obstructed due to lack of fuel.
The committee chair Rabindra Adhikari directed the Ministry to utilize the amount for the infrastructure development of the same sector.
Lawmakers Prakash Poudel, Amar Singh Pun, Ganesh Singh Thagunna, Prem Bahadur Ale and Ganesh Pahadi complained services of the telecommunications and suggested to utilize the amount for the infrastructure development.
The Nepal Telecommunications Company Managing Director Buddhi Acharya said that they were working to improve their services and informed that 3-G services had been reached in 73 districts and ADSL services had been reached in 75 districts.
Nepal Telecommunications Authority chair Digambar Jha informed that the collected amount was in the progress to utilize it in the infrastructure development.