Keshab Prasad Bhattarai, secretary at the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, inaugurated Midas CAN Info-Tech 2013 amid a function held at City Hall. [break]
Computer Association of Nepal (CAN) has been organizing the event for the past 18 years with the objective of raising awareness on ICT and providing platform for entrepreneurs to showcase latest innovations in the ICT industry.
Inaugurating the event, Bhattarai said government was formulating ICT strategies to facilitate private as well as the public sector. “Several manual jobs are yet to be replaced by IT in public institutions,” he said, adding that the ministry was committed toward establishing IT unit in each ministry. He further said Nepal holds a huge potential in the ICT sector especially in software development. “Brain-drain is a big problem in this sector, but we are hopeful that we can stop it by creating a proper environment,” he said.
PHOTO: DIPESH SHRESTHA
Speaking on the occasion, CAN President Binod Dhakal requested the government to come up with effective policy to support ICT sector. He also stressed the need for better coordination between the government and the private sector for the development of ICT sector.
Similarly, Chhatra Hari Karki, managing director of Midas Technologies - the title sponsor of the event, said growing education divide in the country can be bridged by the effective use of technology.
Likewise, Pradeep Jung Pandey, vice president of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), said the ICT sector holds great export potentials. “In many countries, IT industry has proved to be a major contributing sector for economic growth,” Pandey said: “Unfortunately, we have not been able to identify IT as an industry. He said tax exemption and special facilities for IT firms could help boost the sector.
The Info-Tech features 220 stalls including 40 branding pavilions. CAN is also organizing 13th ICT Conference on the sidelines of the event. The conference will be held on Friday and Saturday on the theme ´Promoting e-Democracy in Nepal´.
PHOTO: DIPESH SHRESTHA
On the first day of the event, stalls of companies dealing on power solutions, Internet packages and laptops managed to see huge footfall.
According to CAN, about 50,000 people visited the event on Wednesday. The association is expecting total footfall of 500,000.
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