KATHMANDU, July 21: The government has announced an ambitious digital governance agenda aimed at making public services fully digital, transparent, trackable and time-bound, while integrating key government systems under a single national digital platform.
As part of the initiative, all government agencies have been directed to restructure their operations to improve service delivery. Each office will conduct a time-and-motion study and prepare a restructuring plan to simplify administrative processes and reduce delays.
The government plans to prioritize services that directly affect citizens, including passports, citizenship certificates and driver's licenses, ensuring they are delivered within predictable timeframes through intermediary-free, faceless and fully digital systems. The objective is to eliminate unnecessary visits to government offices by making the entire process—from application to service delivery—time-bound.
Officials say the reforms build on Nepal's ongoing transition toward digital governance, under which a growing number of public services are already available online.
People no longer need to visit the Office of the Company Registrar to register a company. Company registration, submission of required documents, payment of fees, filing of annual returns, renewal and updating company records can all be completed online, while registration certificates can be downloaded electronically.
Similarly, online media outlets can register and renew their operations through digital platforms without visiting the Department of Information and Broadcasting. Some land revenue and survey offices have also begun providing services online.
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Ashok Rana, information officer at the National Information Technology Center, said the government has made digital governance a priority to improve public service delivery.
"Many initiatives to deliver services online have already begun," Rana said. "The country is gradually advancing toward digital governance."
Under the digital governance framework, citizens are increasingly able to apply for government services, obtain information and make payments online from their homes or workplaces. Digital systems also preserve records of administrative processes, making public services more transparent and accountable while reducing opportunities for irregularities and corruption.
Officials say digital governance also lowers administrative costs, reduces paperwork, improves record management and enables government agencies to make faster, evidence-based decisions through digital data analysis. The expansion of online grievance mechanisms and public consultation platforms has also increased citizen participation.
The government has accelerated implementation of the Digital Nepal Framework over the past several years by expanding digital infrastructure, digitizing public services and strengthening ICT-based governance. The current administration has pledged to continue and expand these efforts.
The Digital Nepal Framework identifies eight priority sectors for digital transformation: digital infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, energy, tourism, finance and urban infrastructure. Ongoing priorities include expanding the national optical fiber network, strengthening government data centers, enhancing cybersecurity, promoting digital payments, telemedicine, e-learning, smart city initiatives and digital public services.
The government has also expanded the distribution of national identity cards to provide citizens with a unified digital identity and is integrating the cards with government services.
Through the Nagarik App, citizens can access multiple government services, personal records and official information from a single platform. Online application and digital payment systems have already been introduced for services such as passports, driver's licenses, company registration, Permanent Account Number (PAN) registration and tax payments. Authorities have also expanded QR-based payments, mobile banking and online revenue collection to promote digital transactions.
As part of the new reforms, the government plans to strengthen the Integrated Office Management System used by federal, provincial and local governments, making it more efficient and user-friendly.
Government apps and online portals will also be redesigned to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities and citizens with limited digital literacy. The Nagarik App will gradually integrate applications for police clearance reports, passports and driver's licenses, while automatically retrieving information from other government databases to simplify the application process.
For services requiring in-person visits, citizens will be able to schedule appointments online by selecting a convenient date and time. The government is also preparing to introduce digital signatures and use the National Identity Card as the primary means of authentication for public services.
To improve accountability, a digital tracking system will monitor how long files remain at each official's desk. If processing exceeds the prescribed timeframe, the system will automatically notify higher authorities. Citizens will also be able to download government-issued certificates through the Nagarik App or via email.
The government also plans to establish a National Integrated Digital Governance Platform to connect government services, databases and digital systems under a unified infrastructure. It has also announced plans to prepare legislation for an independent information technology regulatory authority.
To promote investment and improve the ease of doing business, company registration, tax registration, bank account opening and other approvals will be integrated into a single "One Door Business Platform."
In the health sector, the government plans to introduce an integrated digital health information system to manage patient records, referrals and clinical follow-up services. Government hospitals will also adopt digital systems to display medicine inventories and prices while expanding affordable pharmacies in phases.
In agriculture, a National Agricultural Market Information System will provide farmers with daily market prices through SMS and digital platforms. The government also plans to develop a GIS-based digital database of landless and informal settlers and make land distribution and rehabilitation processes more transparent through a public dashboard.
Chiranjivi Adhikari, acting president of the Computer Association of Nepal (CAN), welcomed the government's vision but stressed that implementation would be crucial. "The concept of replacing queues with online services is timely," he said. However, he cautioned that government involvement in developing software through state-run IT companies could discourage private-sector growth. "Much more work remains to be done in digital infrastructure," Adhikari said. "The government should encourage greater participation from the private sector."
