KATHMANDU, June 18: The government has initiated preparations to construct around 1,600 new telecommunications sites, including mobile towers and related infrastructure, to improve the quality and reach of telecom services across the country.
Responding to lawmakers’ queries in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Dr. Bikram Timilsina acknowledged widespread complaints about poor telecommunication and internet services in rural and remote areas and said the government was working seriously to address them.
He said investment in the telecom sector through Nepal Telecom in the upcoming fiscal year would exceed the ministry’s own budget, with the state-owned operator preparing to invest more than Rs 6 billion to expand coverage and improve service quality in rural areas.
According to the minister, Nepal currently has 4,829 operational telecom sites, including 760 in Koshi Province, 568 in Madhesh, 1,277 in Bagmati, 599 in Gandaki, 819 in Lumbini, 305 in Karnali, and 501 in Sudurpashchim.
Studies conducted by the Nepal Telecommunications Authority and Nepal Telecom identified the need for 1,443 additional sites nationwide, including 257 in Koshi, 228 in Madhesh, 389 in Bagmati, 76 in Gandaki, 200 in Lumbini, 121 in Karnali, and 172 in Sudurpashchim.
Timilsina said the government has moved ahead with procurement preparations for around 1,600 sites to ensure adequate infrastructure beyond the identified requirement. He noted that the process may take time as most telecom equipment needs to be imported, but the ministry has instructed service providers to complete the work within the stipulated timeframe.
Smart Telecom starts 4G service today: starts 4G service today
The minister said the government remains sensitive to public complaints regarding telecommunications services and is accelerating efforts to ensure citizens receive reliable and quality communication services.
FinMin Dr Wagle to answer MPs’ questions in HoR on behalf of PM
KATHMANDU, June 18: Minister for Finance Dr Swarnim Wagle will step in to respond to questions raised by lawmakers in the House of Representatives (HoR) on the Appropriation Bill for the upcoming fiscal year 2026/27.
He will speak on behalf of Prime Minister Balendra Shah, who is absent from the parliamentary session.
According to the parliamentary agenda, Prime Minister Shah was scheduled to respond during deliberations on the budget of the Ministry of Defence, which he also heads. However, his absence has led to Finance Minister Wagle taking over the responsibility.
The Prime Minister was also expected to address questions related to budget allocations for the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the National Planning Commission Secretariat, the Office of the President, and the Office of the Vice President.
With the Prime Minister unavailable, Minister Wagle will now respond on behalf of the government on all these budget-related matters in Parliament.
