Abstract
The growing application of information and communication technology (ICT) and their subsequent use in strengthening interaction among civil societies, communities, citizens, and businesses have given rise to a new governance paradigm known as e-governance. E-governance came both in developed and developing countries as a quest of making public institutions more transparent, accountable, and efficient for the better delivery of public services. This chapter discusses the prospects and challenges of ICT for improving service delivery in Nepal which is considered an important tool to help meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDG goals). The study concludes that there has been improvement in the application of ICT as well as internal efficiency in the decision-making process. However, there is room for improvement in the service delivery provision. It has decreased discrimination and enhanced accountability of officials, but citizen’s inclusion in the public decision-making process and empowerment, though improved from before, still remains important aspects that need due attention.
This chapter was presented at an international conference, Reaching out to People: Achieving Millennium Development Goals through Innovative Public Service Delivery, which was organized by NAPSIPAG and the Institute of Management in Government, Kerala, India on December 11–13, 2010.
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Notes
- 1.
Eight major Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) declared in 2000 are eradicate poverty and hunger; promote gender equality and empower women; achieve universal primary education; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV/AIDs, malaria, and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; and develop a global partnership for development (Source: United Nations Country Team of Nepal, 2002, p. 1).
- 2.
Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP) is a document describing the country’s macroeconomic, structural and social policies, and programs over a 3-year or longer horizon to promote broad-based growth and reduce poverty.
- 3.
Based on (a) ICT access: (1) fixed telephone lines per 100 inhabitants, (2) mobile cellular telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, (3) International Internet bandwidth (bit/s) per Internet user, (4) proportion of households with a computer, (5) proportion of households with Internet access at home; (b) ICT use:: (6) Internet users per 100 inhabitants, (7) fixed broadband Internet subscribers per 100 inhabitants, (8) mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants; and (c) ICT skills: (9) adult literacy rate, (10) secondary gross enrolment ratio, (11) tertiary gross enrolment ratio.
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Jamil, I., Dhakal, T.N. (2013). Benefits and Challenges of E-Governance for Service Delivery in Nepal. In: Singh, A., Gonzalez, E., Thomson, S. (eds) Millennium Development Goals and Community Initiatives in the Asia Pacific. Springer, India. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-0760-3_13
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