102

INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023

Link: https://doi.org/10.3126/irj.v2i2.56163

Implementation Situation of Information Technology at Local Governance of

Nepal

Rom Kant Pandey

romkant.pandey@cded.tu.edu.np
Central Department of Education, TU

Vijaya Malla
vijaya.malla@sac.tu.edu.np
Sanothimi Campus, Bhaktapur, TU

Abstract
Implementation of broadband strategy, as well as information security basics, are
important issues for local governments. Building a framework for ICT infrastructure
development and offering e-services for businesses is making the local government a
central body, influencing the development of the economy in the region. In this paper, we
found that innovative technologies have not been used in service delivery at some local
levels of Nepal. Some of the local levels were given the responsibility to the person who
does not have any qualifications and knowledge related to information technology. The
local government was not to be concerned about the security and sensitivity of the
information technology-related equipment and materials used in the office and the
capacity of the local level is weak in terms of expanding information technology
infrastructures within their area and making necessary policy and legal arrangements for
managing the use of information technology. This research focused on integrated
software with a large capacity that needs to be developed and sent to all local levels
through DoIT, needs to provide the technical knowledge and training for the IT
manpower, every local level of Nepal has to develop and implemented its own Local
Level IT Policy.

Keywords: ICT, Implementation of IT/ICT, Situation of Information Technology, Local

Governance of Nepal

Received: 12, April, 2023 Revision Accepted: 7, May, 2023 Published: 12, June 2023

Introduction
E-Governance in Nepal has steadily evolved from the computerization of Government
Departments to initiatives that encapsulate the finer points of Governance, such as citizen
centricity, service orientation, and transparency. Lessons from previous e-Governance
initiatives have played an important role in shaping the progressive e-Governance
strategy of the country. Due cognizance has been taken of the notion that to speed up e-
Governance implementation across the various arms of Government at National and
Local levels, a program approach needs to be adopted, guided by a common vision and
strategy. This approach has the potential of enabling huge savings in costs through
 103
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
sharing of core and support infrastructure, enabling interoperability through standards,
and presenting a seamless view of Government to citizens (DoIT, 2017).

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are technologies that use electronic
means to convey, manipulate, and store data. This includes things like email, text
messaging, video chat, and social media platforms. ICTs are used in various devices such
as laptops and smartphones to perform communication and information tasks. In
developed countries, ICTs are widely used and are considered important for social,
political, and economic participation in developing countries. The United Nations
recognizes that ICTs are necessary for achieving specific goals related to poverty
reduction and other social and economic issues. The World Health Organization also sees
ICTs as beneficial for improving healthcare in developing countries. They can help train
doctors, deliver healthcare services to remote areas, and improve transparency and
efficiency in governance and public health services. In modern times, knowledge has
become a valuable resource, and the use of IT, including ICTs, has spread widely in
business and public institutions. Countries with effective ICT programs can reduce
corruption, promote good governance, and address social exclusion. Many public
institutions have implemented e-government programs that incorporate ICTs to enhance
accessibility, transparency, effectiveness, and accountability in government operations.

According to the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Department

of Information Technology, "e-Governance in Nepal has steadily evolved from
computerization of Government Departments to initiatives that encapsulate the finer
points of Governance, such as citizen centricity, service orientation, and transparency. E-
Governance Master Plan (e-GMP) takes a holistic view of e-Governance initiatives across
the country, integrating them into a collective vision, a shared cause. Around this idea, a
massive countrywide infrastructure reaching down to the remotest of villages is evolving,
and large-scale digitization of records is taking place to enable easy, reliable access over
the internet. The ultimate objective is to bring public services closer home to citizens, as
articulated in the Vision Statement of e-GMP." And also the doIT says, "Make all
Government services accessible to the common man in his locality, through common
service delivery outlets, and ensure efficiency, transparency, and reliability of such
services at affordable costs to realize the basic needs of the common man (DoIT, 2017)."

Objectives of the Study

To find out the implementation situation of IT in local governance and find the challenges
in the implementation situation of IT in local governance are the main objective of the
study.

Literature Review
A global culture centered on information access emerged in the past few decades.
Information and communication technologies (ICT) are increasingly available to advance
ease and efficiency in many areas of life. ICT holds particular promise in areas of
governance and public participation. Open government, government 2.0, and e-
government proponents believe governments in the digital age can use the information to
 104
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
reduce corruption and increase government transparency, accountability, efficiency, and
citizen participation (Camille & Brair, 2015).

Nepal is lagging behind other developed countries in terms of ICT infrastructure.

Infrastructure is important in the development of the overall ICT sector and Nepal has a
poor ICT infrastructure level. Although Nepal has cheap prices for internet and
telecommunication accessibility mainly internet and other ICT resources are very poor.
The government itself is also lagging in terms of ICT development. The country has been
revising policies for better ICT implementation but the government is lagging in
implementing ICT in its service delivery. The government has not been able to implement
important e-government projects like the National ID which has been blocking the
development of other e-government services. The government’s sluggish pace in the
development of ICT also has a discouragement for the private sector to make investments
in this sector. The ICT development in Nepal is not directly connected to the production
sector. The limited role of ICT in GDP shows that ICT has just been used as a service
instead of using as a tool for economic growth. With the developing countries more
tending towards innovations and products related to ICT, Nepal should also focus on
developing a technology-driven GDP. More ICT-driven productions and manufacturing
means more opportunities for ICT development among the citizens and the same thing is
applicable and vice versa (Sharma, 2016).

Many governments around the world are using Information and Communication
Technologies (ICT) to build a more transparent, efficient, and inclusive relationship with
citizens. This new paradigm of open government, which is interrelated with e-
government, differs among countries due to technological and socioeconomic conditions.
The goal of this article is to examine the mediating role of ICT in the relationship
between socioeconomic conditions and open government. In particular, we wonder if ICT
development represents an intervening variable through which being a wealthy and
innovative country may influence the development of open government (Maria, 2018).

Local bodies are the front runners in providing service delivery to the public. Even after
the promulgation of a new constitution, local bodies remain the first link between the
government and the public. Local bodies are the face of the governance for the public. E-
Government can positively affect public service delivery if and only if the local bodies
are well-equipped to deliver the e-service to the public. But e-based services initiatives
have not been successfully implemented in any municipality. As Government of Nepal
has recently formed several municipalities in different districts. The quality of service
delivery will be improved, enabling Local Governments to build a good image and trust
among citizens. Local Government has shared problems about abasing service will guide
for other. Issues and challenges faced by proficient municipalities in the initiation of e-
government will be a guide for newly formed municipalities to meet the national goal to
implement e-Government (Dhonju & Shakya, 2019).

Clay G. Wescott (2019) published a report entitled "E-Government and The Applications
of Technology to Government Services". The findings and conclusion of the report were
the e-government experiences in Asia-Pacific have improved our understanding of what
works and what doesn’t, what practices are transferable, and under what conditions.
 105
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
However, rigorous evaluation of reforms is rare, with few scholarly works measuring the
performance improvement and citizen empowerment attained, nor the value-for-money
achieved by necessary expenditures. Fully cognizant of the methodological challenges,
greater investment is needed in more extensive research on how to achieve high
performance by the public sector through e-government in the Asia Pacific.
Methodology
In this paper, mixed-method of research was used, including both quantitative and
qualitative approaches, both quantitative and qualitative approaches were taken into
consideration when appropriate. Under the quantitative research design, descriptive
research methods were applied for the research the qualitative data was used for
validation of qualitative results and There were a large number of population-related for
this topic which is not possible to include therefore, the research was conducted a
population for this research from two municipalities and eight rural municipalities. From
each municipality and eight Rural Municipalities 40 related staff were selected as
respondents. There is a large number of population related to this topic, which is not
possible to include them all in the research. Therefore, among the various districts of
Nepal researchers selected the ten districts as the field of research for this. Among the
various Local Governments of Nepal, the researcher selected two Municipalities and eight
Rural municipalities using the census method, where 40 respondents were. From each
local level, the related respondents were selected as respondents for data collection using
the purposive sampling method. Both primary and secondary data collection tools were
used for data collection where primary data was collected through a questionnaire and
secondary data collection, was collected through related articles, reports, and websites,
and also through the phone call activity was applied for secondary data collection.

Result and Discussion

The state of Manpower Management

Manpower is an important tool for the effective flow of services provided by anybody. Its
capabilities are linked to the quality of services provided. This section covers aspects
related to the availability of manpower related to information technology, educational
qualifications related to manpower related to information technology, experience of
manpower related to information technology, and in-service training.

The status of the availability of manpower related to information technology

The status of availability of manpower related to information technology working at the
local level has been prepared in three different indicators and the details obtained from 10
local levels of Nepal are as follows:

Table 1: The status of availability of manpower related to information technology

Indicators No. Of Percentage

municipality
Manpower related to information technology 1 10%
is not working
One it officer level employee is working at 9 90%
the municipality
 106
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
More than one it officer, including at least one 0 0%
computer engineer
Total 10 100%

In the above table, out of 10 local levels of Nepal, 9 (90%) local levels have one IT
Officer level employee whereas, found that there was no computer engineer level staff in
any of the local levels. And, in only one local level i.e. Khotehang Rural Municipality,
there was no manpower related to information technology.
According to the data, a maximum number of local-level, IT Officer is working as
manpower in the field of IT. That meets the goal of the government to operate IT-related
tasks at the local level.
The status of the educational qualifications related to the information technology of
the manpower
The status of the educational qualifications related to the information technology of the
manpower working at the local level has been prepared in three different indicators and
the details obtained from 10 local levels of Nepal are as follows

The status of the educational qualifications related to

the information technology of the manpower

Manpower of Information Technology

1
related Master or above

Information technology manpower has

only minimum educational 9
qualifications
Lack of minimum educational
qualifications related to information 0
technology

0 2 4 6 8 10
No. of Municiaplity

Figure 1: The status of the educational qualifications related to the information technology
of the manpower

The above figure shows that the 9 local levels (90%) have minimum educational qualified
information technology-related manpower and one local level (10%), has manpower of
information technology-related Master degree or above.
Above data refers that at most of the local level of Nepal, the maximum qualified manpower
is working as IT manpower, which helps to empower and promote the development of
technology in local governance.
Training of manpower related to information technology (Related sectors only)
The status of training related to information technology of the manpower working at the
local level has been prepared in three different indicators and the details obtained from 10
local levels of Nepal are as follows:
 107
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023

Training of manpower related to information technology (Related

sectors only)
No. of municipality 6 5
5 4
4
3
2 1
1
0
No manpower related to At least one IT related All IT personnel have
information technology manpower has been received Global
has received any trained for at least 1 Certification in training
training in the last two month / 4 weeks in the for at least 1 month / 4
years last 2 years. weeks duration for the
last 2 years.
Figure 2: Training of manpower related to information technology (Related sectors only)

The above figure shows that IT-related manpower in 50% (5) municipalities have been
trained for at least 1 month/4 weeks in the last 2 years, 40% of manpower has not
received any training in the last two years and in 10% of IT personnel have received
Global Certification in training for at least 1 month/4 weeks duration for the last 2 years.
In some municipalities, IT-related manpower is still not being sent to the offices for
training. As a result, their efficiency was declining and their work was slow. So, every
manpower has to give equal opportunities to get the knowledge and send them to training.
Experience in manpower related to information technology
The status of manpower experience related to information technology of the manpower
working at the local level has been prepared in three different indicators and the data
obtained from 10 local levels of Nepal is as follows.

Experience of manpower related to information technology

Software and hardware related

work experience among
3, 30% 3, 30% manpower related to information
technology
At least one of the manpower
related to information technology
4, 40% has 1 year experience

Figure 3: Experience of manpower related to information technology

The above figure shows that in 40% of municipalities, there is 1 year of experienced IT
manpower, in 30% working experience on software and hardware, and similarly in 30%
all the manpower related to IT have more than 2 years of experience in the related IT
field.
 108
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
According to the above data, most of the manpower have at least 1 year's experience in
the IT-related field, which is helping them to conduct their tasks and duties in the offices.

In-service training of manpower related to information technology

In-service training can be compulsory relating to official professional development
activities to maintain or upgrade professional qualifications or it can also be optional with
the sole purpose to improve skills (UNESCO, n.d.). To empower and upgrade the
professional qualifications of the manpower, in-service training is most important. So, the
researcher found the status of in-service training of manpower related to information
technology of the manpower working at the local level has been prepared in three
different indicators and the data obtained from 10 local levels of Nepal is as follows.
In-service training of manpower related to information technology
9
8
8
No. of Municipality

7
6
5
4
3
2
1 1
1
0
No manpower has taken At least one manpower All the manpower has
in-service training related has taken in-service taken in-service training
to information technology training related to related to information
information technology technology
Figure 4: In-service training of manpower related to information technology

The above figure denotes that, 80% of local levels' manpower has not taken any in-
service training related to information technology, 30% of at least one manpower has
taken in-service training and 30% of all the manpower has taken in-service training
related to information technology. So, according to the data, most of the manpower
related to IT, need to provide the in-service training at once. Then only help to improve
the service delivery and capacity development of the manpower.
Condition of Information Technology-related infrastructures
Infrastructure is another important tool needed to streamline the services provided at the
local level. Without infrastructure, no services can be provided to the public. Therefore,
in this section, researchers have analyzed in detail the availability of electricity, technical
testing of electrical materials, backup availability of solar, access to the internet,
computer usage, computer network, availability of multimedia, use of CC-TV camera,
availability of free Wi-Fi and use of the shared and integrated system.
Availability of Electricity
The availability of electricity in 10 different local-level municipal offices and subordinate
ward offices in Nepal was found to be as follows on the basis of three different indicators.
 109
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023

Availability of Electricity

Electricity is available in the office of

8
the municipality and all the…
Electricity is available in the office of
2
the municipality and at least 2…
There is no availability of electricity in
0
the office of the municipality and in…
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
No. of Municipality

Figure 5: Availability of Electricity

Electricity is the main root of any electronic device, which helps to operate the system to
perform its tasks. In this scenario, to find out the status of electricity in the municipality
offices and subordinate ward offices, the above figure shows that the 8 local levels have
electricity which is available in the office of the municipality and all the subordinate ward
offices, in 2 local levels available the electricity in the municipality office and at least 2
subordinate ward offices. This data shows that the availability of electricity is quite good
in most of the municipality offices.

Technical Testing of Electrical Materials

The status of technical testing of electrical materials in 10 local-level municipal offices
and subordinate ward offices in Nepal was found to be as follows based on three different
indicators.
Table 2: Technical Testing of Electrical Materials

Indicators No. of Percentage

municipality
Not Tested 2 20%
At least once a year, the condition of the 7 70%
electronic equipment of the municipality office
and ward office is tested
At least once a year, the condition of the electrical 1 10%
equipment of the municipal office and ward office
is tested and the electrical code is applied while
electrifying the office.
According to the above data, in 7 (70%) local levels i.e. municipal office and subordinate
ward offices, the test of electrical materials is at least once a year, and in 1 (10%) local
level, electronic materials are tested and the electrical code is applied while electrifying
the office as well. This shows that most of the municipalities test electrical materials to
speed up their daily tasks with the help of electronic materials such as Laptops, Desktops,
Printers, etc.
Backup Availability of Solar
The status of the availability of solar backup in 10 local-level municipal offices and
subordinate ward offices in Nepal is as follows based on three different indicators.
 110
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023

Backup Availability of Solar

1, 10%
There is no availability of solar
2, 20% backup in the office of the
municipality and in any of the
subordinate ward offices
Solar backup is available in the
office of the municipality and at
least 2 subordinate ward offices
7, 70%
Solar backup is available in the
office of the municipality and
all the subordinate ward offices

Figure 6: Backup Availability of Solar

In any sector, solar backup is mostly used as an alternate access to electricity. Thus the
researcher found the above data from the related respondents. According to the above
data, 70% of local levels are using solar backup in their municipality office and all the
subordinate ward offices, and in 10%, there is no available solar backup in the office of
the municipality and any of the subordinate ward offices. Most of the municipalities of
Nepal are using the solar system as an electricity backup system for daily electrical
operations. This means the accessibility of solar backup systems is quite good in
municipal offices and related subordinate ward offices.

Access to Internet
Internet access to 10 local-level municipal offices and subordinate ward offices in Nepal
was found to be as follows based on three different indicators.

Access to Internet

Broadband internet is available in… 9

Broadband internet is available in… 1

Broadband internet is not available… 0

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
No. of Minicipality

Figure 7: Access to the Internet

To operate any office, the Internet is the most important thing. Thus the researcher found
the above data from the related respondents. The above figure shows that in 9 local levels,
there is access to broadband internet i.e. Worldlink, Subisu, Techminds, Arrownet, etc. in
the office of the municipality and all the subordinate ward offices, and in 2 local levels,
there is access to broadband internet in the office of municipality and at least 2
 111
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
subordinate ward offices. This data shows that the availability of Internet in municipality
offices and related ward offices is quite satisfactory which is helping to deliver their
service to the people at the right time.

Computer Usage
The use of computers in 10 local-level municipal offices and subordinate ward offices in
Nepal is found to be as follows based on three different indicators.
Computer Usage
12
10
10
No. of Municipality

2
0 0
0
There is no use of Computers have been Computers have been
computer in all the used in all the branches used in all the branch
branches of the and at least 2 ward offices of the
municipality office and in offices of the municipality and in all
any of the subordinate municipality the subordinate ward
ward offices offices

Figure 8: Computer Usage

The above figure clearly shows that in all the municipality offices and all the subordinate
ward offices, computers have been used to operate their daily tasks, and this is why all the
office's age practicing the paperless policy of the Nepal Government.

Computer Network
The condition of a computer network in 10 local-level municipal offices and subordinate
ward offices in Nepal is found to be as follows based on three different indicators.

Computer Network

3, 30% 2, 20% There is no use of computer

network in all the branches
of the office of the
municipality and in any of
the subordinate ward
5, 50%
offices

Figure 9: Computer Network

The above figure shows that 50% of local levels are using computer networks for
communicating in all the branches of the municipality office and at least 2 subordinate
ward offices, but 20%, there is no use of computer network in the branches of the
 112
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
municipality office even in the subordinate ward offices. The above data shows that using
of a computer network within the area of municipality offices and ward offices is in a
50/50 ratio. The municipality offices, where the computer network isn't installed, need to
upgrade the networking system in the upcoming days.

Availability of Multimedia (Projector, Smart TV, HD web Camera, etc.)

The availability of multimedia in 10 different local-level municipal offices and
subordinate ward offices in Nepal was found to be as follows based on three different
indicators.

Availability of Multimedia (Projector, Smart TV, HD web Camera

etc.)
No. of Municipality

8 7
7
6
5
4 3
3
2
1 0
0
There is no multimedia in the Having multimedia in the office Multimedia is available in the
meeting hall of the office of the of the municipality office of the municipality and
municipality also used in video conferencing

Figure 10: Availability of Multimedia (Projector, Smart TV, HD web Camera, etc.)

In the above figure, 7 local levels are using multimedia i.t. projector, smart TV, HD web
cameras, etc. in the municipality office, and 3, multimedia is available in the office of the
municipality and also used in video conferencing. Most municipalities have access to
multimedia to perform their daily tasks. Which is improving the presentation of daily
tasks.

Use of CC-TV Cameras

The use of CC-TV cameras in 10 local-level municipal offices and subordinate ward
offices in Nepal is found to be as follows based on three different indicators.

Use of CC-TV Cameras

CCTV cameras are connected in the

1
office of the municipality and all the…
CCTV cameras are installed in the office
5
of the municipality and at least 2 ward…
There is no CCTV camera connection in
4
the office of the municipality and any…
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
No. of Municipality

Figure 11: Use of CC-TV Cameras

In the above figure, in 5 local levels of Nepal, CCTV cameras are installed in the office of
the municipality and at least 2 ward offices for security purposes, similarly, in 4 local
 113
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
levels, there are not installed the CCTV even in any of the subordinate ward offices and
there is 1 local level where CCTV is connected in municipality office and all the
subordinate ward offices. The above data shows that most of the municipality offices and
ward offices are using and installing CCTV for the security purpose of the offices.

Availability of Free Wi-Fi

The availability of Free Wi-Fi in 10 local-level municipal offices and subordinate ward
offices in Nepal is found to be as follows based on three different indicators.

Figure 12: Availability of Free Wi-Fi

Availability of Free Wi-Fi
6
5
5
No. of Muniipality

4
4

2
1
1

0
Free Wifi is not available Free Wifi is available in Free Wifi is available in
in the office of the the municipality's office the office of the
municipality and in any of and at least 2 subordinate municipality and all the
the subordinate ward ward offices subordinate ward offices
offices

To access the free internet, Nepal Government has delivered the Free Wi-Fi zone concept.
Thus the above data shows that in 5 local levels, there is available of Free Wi-Fi in the
municipality office and at least 2 subordinate ward offices, similarly in 4 local levels,
Free Wi-Fi is available in the office of the municipality and all the subordinate ward
offices and in 1 local level there is not available Free Wi-Fi in the municipality office and
even in all the subordinate ward offices. The above data shows that most of the
municipality offices and wards are providing Wi-Fi publicly within the area of the offices.

Institutional Capacity in Information Technology

There is also an institutional capacity based on information technology to streamline the
services provided at the local level. Without institutional capacity, it will be difficult to
provide services to the public. Therefore, this section discusses training related to email,
information technology, and the use of office packages.

Usage of E-Mail
A study of the use of government emails by desk staff working at all local levels in Nepal
found that the situation was as per the details based on three different indicators.
 114
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023

Usage of E-Mail
1, 10%

4, 40% Less than 25% of desk

employees use
government email
Up to 25-50% of desk
employees use
5, 50%
government email

Figure 13: Usage of E-Mail

The above figure shows that in 50% of local levels, up to 25-50% of desk employees use
government email, in 40% of local levels, less than 25% of desk employees use
government email and in 10%, more than 50% of desk employees use government email.
According to the data, most of the employees, those who are working as desk employees,
they are using the government e-mail for document transferring and receiving purposes.

Training related to Information Technology

While studying the status of training related to information technology by the desk staff
working at all the local levels in Nepal is found to be as follows based on three different
indicators.

6 Training related to Information

5
Technology
No. of municipality

5 4
4
3
2 1
1
0
Less than 10% of desk Less than 10-25% of desk More than 25% of desk
staff have not received IT employees have not staff have received training
related training received training related to related to information
information technology technology

Figure 14: Training related to Information Technology

The above figure shows that most of the desk staff, who are working in municipality
offices and wards, are not receiving any IT-related training, which shows that most of the
staff are not getting any chance to develop their capacity in the field of information
technology. Immediately, the local government should provide and organize IT-related
training for all the staff who are working as desk staff in the offices of the municipality
and wards.

Usage of Office Package

The desk staff working at all the local levels in Nepal while studying the status of use of
Office Package is found to be as follows based on three different indicators
 115
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023

Usage of Office Package

6 5

No. of municipality
5 4
4
3
2 1
1
0
Less than 25% of desk Less than 25-50% of desk More than 50% of desk
employees know how to employees know how to employees know how to
run an office package run an office package run an office package

Figure 15: Usage of Office Package

To manipulate and operate the offices, office package software in being the most
important tool, which makes the offices paperless and helps to keep the data safe. Office
package is a packaged software where Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, etc. are
packaged. Thus, the researcher found the above-implementing status of the office
package which is used by the desk employee of the municipality office and the
subordinate ward offices. The above figure shows that in 5 local levels, more than 50% of
desk employees know how to run an office package. But most of the desk staff don’t
know to run the Office package. So, this shows that the implementation of an office
package in office for doing the daily work is not satisfactory.

Use of Information Technology in Service Delivery

The use of information technology in the flow of services provided at the local level
reflects the current state of institutional capacity. This section covers the use of SuTRA in
financial administration, use and monitoring of electronic attendance, office automation,
revenue payment system, e-bidding, revenue mapping, cost estimating of schemes and
use of software in the construction of DPR, use of software in the monitoring system and
information on educational health institutions under the municipality.

Use of SuTRA in financial administration

A study of the use of the SuTRA system, which was constructed to manage the
accounting system at all the local levels in Nepal is found to be as follows based on three
different indicators.

Use of SuTRA in financial administration

10 9
No. of Municipality

8
6
4
2 1
0
0
Not used Partially used Fully used

Figure 16: Use of SuTRA in financial administration

Most government offices use SuTRA as the financial management system. Thus the
researcher found the above data which shows the implementation of SuTRA in their
 116
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
financial mechanisms. According to the above data, at 9 local levels, SuTRA is used in
financial administration. Thus the implementation of SuTRA as financial management
system is highly implemented at most of the local levels of Nepal.

Use of Office Automation System

While studying the status of the use of office automation systems in all local-level
municipal offices and subordinate ward offices in Nepal, it was found to be as follows
based on three different indicators.

Use of Office Automation System

2, 20% There is no use of office

automation in the office
of the municipality and in
2, 20% 6, 60% any of the subordinate
ward offices

Figure 17: Use of Office Automation System

To manage and systematically operate any office have to use an office automation
system. The above data shows that in Khotan district, in 60% of local levels, there is no
use of office automation in the office of the municipality, and any of the subordinate ward
offices, 20% of local levels are using office automation systems in their municipality
office and at least 2 subordinate ward offices and similarly, 20% local levels are using the
system in the municipality office and all the subordinate ward offices.

The result shows that most of the local levels of Nepal are not using the office automation
system to operate the offices. So, to manage and manipulate the offices systematically,
every office needs to implement an office automation system.

Use of e-Building Permission System

While studying the status of the use of the e-Building Permission System in all local-level
ward offices in Nepal, it was found to be as follows based on three different indicators.

Table 3: Use of e-Building Permission System

Indicators No. of Municipality Percentage

Not used 8 80%

Used in at least 2 ward offices 0 0%

Fully used 2 2%

The above table shows that most of the ward offices (80%) are not using the e-Building
permission system, which clearly defines they are still using the paperwork to give
building permission to the public. So, every ward offices need to use the e-building
 117
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
permission system to manage the files and record systematically and that could be easy
access too.

Use of Online Revenue Payment System

Revenue is the money generated from normal business operations, calculated as the
average sales price times the number of units sold. It is the top-line (or gross income)
figure from which costs are subtracted to determine net income. Revenue is also known
as sales on the income statement (Investopedia, n.d.). While studying the status of the use
of the online Revenue Payment System at all local levels under Nepal, it was found to be
as follows based on three different indicators.

Use of Online Revenue Payment System

1, 10%

Not used
3, 30%
Partially used
Fully used
6, 60%

Figure 18: Use of Online Revenue Payment System

The above figure shows that most of the local levels of Nepal are using the online revenue
system to control the revenue mechanism of the municipality. Which makes transparency
in the tax collection system.

Use of E-Bidding
The use of e-bidding in all the 10 local levels of Nepal was found to be as follows based
on three different indicators.

Use of E-Bidding
8
No. of Municipality

6
6
Not used
4 3
Partially used
2 1
Fully used
0
1

Figure 19: Use of E-Bidding

According to the above data, most of the municipality offices, about 60%, are using the e-
bidding system, about 30% partially using the system but 10% i.e. Aiselukharka Rural
Municipality, are not using the e-bidding system to perform the projects. Thus the above
data shows that most of the municipality offices are using e-bidding for operating big
projects.
 118
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
Use of software in Project Cost Estimation and Construction of DPR
The use of software in the cost estimates of the project and construction of DPR in all the
10 local levels of Nepal were found to be as follows based on three different indicators.

Use of software in Project Cost Estimation and Construction of

DPR
5, 50% Manually prepared

4, 40%
Using software for a cost
of over 10 lakhs

1, 10%

Figure 20: Use of Software in Project Cost Estimation and Construction of DPR

For the project cost estimation and construction of DPR, about 50% of municipality
offices are using specialized software, about 40% of offices are using software for a cost
of over 10 lakhs and similarly about 10% of offices, are still preparing cost estimation and
construction of DPR manually.

This study found that the main reason not to use the software was the lack of skilled
manpower, training, and so on. To solve this problem, the related manpower, need to send
them for training.

Use of Resource Mapping

The use of resource mapping in all the 10 local levels of Nepal was found to be as follows
based on three different indicators.

Table 4: Use of Resource Mapping

Indicators No. Of municipality Percentage

Not used 2 20%

Partially used 8 80%

A GIS-based resource map is prepared 0 0%

Total 10 100%

In the above data, about 80% of municipality offices of Nepal, are using the resource map
but none of them are using GIS base resource map. About 20% of offices are still not
using resource mapping. This causes the problem to find out the exact territorial locations
of the exact places. So, the related manpower needs to provide GIS-based resource
mapping training and develop the GIS-based resource map of all the municipalities.
 119
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
Use of information technology in Educational Institutions
The use of information technology in the educational institutions operating in all the 10
local levels of Nepal was found to be as follows based on three different indicators.

Use of information technology in Educational Institutions

10 9
No. of Mucipality

8
6
4
2 1
0
0
Not used Used in 50% of schools / All schools have at least
educational institutions one computer lab with
online teaching and
learning activities

Figure 21: Use of information technology in Educational Institutions

Most educational institutions are using new technology to deliver education. This is why,
day by day the education system is changing towards technology. CEHRD (Center for
Education and Human Resource Development) has developed a software named IEMIS
(Integrated Education Management Information System), which is helping to manage all
the activities of educational institutions. Not only this, different types of technologies and
devices are used like projectors, smart boards, e-attendance, e-library, online learning
tools, etc. The above data represents the use of information technology in educational
institutions. In 9 municipalities, 50% of educational institutions are information
technologies to deliver education to the students and operate the schools.

Use of information technology in Health Institutions

The use of information technology in the health institutions operating in all the 10 local
levels of Nepal was found to be as follows based on three different indicators.

Use of information technology in Health Institutions

7 6
No. of Municipality

6
5 4
4
3
2
1 0
0
Not used Tele / e-medicine is used Tele / e-medicine services
in 50% of health facilities are available in all health
facilities including at least
one health specialist
doctor

Figure 22: Use of information technology in Health Institutions

The above figure shows that in 6 local levels, 50% of health institutions are using tele/e-
medicine facilities to deliver health services and in 4 local levels, they are not using any
 120
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
kind of tele/e-medicine services. This study found that none of the municipalities' health
institutions don't have at least one health specialist doctor.

So, the government has to recruit at least one specialist doctor to all the health
institutions, which helps to promote health delivery services.

Hello Sarkar and Grievance Management

The government has started addressing public complaints at the local level.
With 753 local levels being connected through the new software portal of 'Hello Sarkar'
established under the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers as a
grievances-hearing mechanism, public grievances are being addressed through the local
level (Nepal T. R., 2019). The situation of the use of Hello Sarkar and Grievance
Management in all 10 local levels of Nepal was found to be as follows based on three
different indicators.

Hello Sarkar and Grievance Management

20%

20%
Not used

Only used in municipality

office
Used in municipality office
and all ward offices
60%

Figure 23: Hello Sarkar and Grievance Management

One of the best ways to complain to the public is the "Hello Sarkar" method. Based on the
"Hello Sarkar", the above figure shows that 60% of municipality offices are using the
same method to collect complaints from the public and help to communicate to the
government and the public. Similarly, 20% of municipalities' offices and all subordinate
ward offices are using the "Hello Sarkar" portal. And in 20% neither used in
municipalities' offices nor subordinate ward offices.

Thus, this study got that majority of the municipalities and ward offices are using
grievance management and using "Hello Sarkar" online portal for hearing the public
voices.

Use of software in Vital Event Registration

The use of software for vital event registration in all 10 local levels of Nepal was found to
be as follows based on three different indicators.
 121
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023

Use of software in Vital Event registration

10 8

No. of Municiaplity
8
6
4 2
2 0
0
Manually used Used in at least 2 wards Used in manicipality
office and all ward
offices

Figure 24: Use of Software in Vital Event Registration

In the above figure, 8 municipalities and all subordinate ward offices are using the Vital
Event Registration Online System, which shows that most of the offices are applying the
VERSP/MIS system for managing the Vital Event registration. Thus, the minority of the
ward offices are not using the VERSP online system due to their lack of internet facilities
and skilled manpower too.

Use of e-queue management system in service delivery

The use of an e-queue management system in all the 10 local levels of Nepal was found
to be as follows based on three different indicators.

Use of e-queue management system in service delivery

10 8
No. of Municipality

8
6
4 2
2 0
0
Not used Only used in Used in at least one
municipality office ward office including
the office of the
municipality

Figure 25: Use of e-queue management system in service delivery

Most public offices need to face several clients every day. The crowd of people truly
affects the official works. So the best mechanism to handle the public crowd is a queue
management system, which systematically helps to manage the queue of the public who
are waiting to get services from the office.

The above data shows that most of the municipality offices and subordinate offices are
not using a queue management system but only a few municipality offices are using this
system to manage the queue of the public.

Tax Mapping
A tax is a compulsory financial charge or some other type of levy imposed on
a taxpayer (an individual or legal entity) by a governmental organization to
fund government spending and various public expenditures (regional, local, or national)
(Wikipedia, Tax, 2022). The use of a tax mapping system for the transparencies of tax in
 122
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
all the 10 local levels of Nepal was found to be as follows based on three different
indicators.

Tax Mapping
7
No. of Municpalaity 6 6
5
4 4
3
2
1
0 0
Not used Tax mapping is done Tax mapping is done
using digital mapping on all taxes using
in limited taxes digital mapping

Figure 26: Tax Mapping

The above figure shows that 60% of municipalities are not using the tax mapping system,
but only 40% of municipalities are using digital tax mapping for limited taxes. Thus the
result of the study is transparency in taxation is not satisfactory.

Use of Street & House Addressing System

The use of the Street & House Addressing system in all the 10 local levels of Nepal was
found to be as follows based on three different indicators.

Use of Street & House Addressing System

10 9
No. of Municipality

8
6
4
2 1
0
0
Not used Used Street & House
Addressing based on
GPS system

Figure 27:Use of Street & House Addressing System

The above data clearly shows that most of the municipalities are not using the streets &
house addressing system, this denotes to the data of the housing and streets are scattered,
not managed. Only less number of municipalities are using the street & house addressing
system without based on GPS to manage the street and house address.

Management of the Official Website

Local-level website management provides information on how local levels are managing
their municipality's website. Therefore, this section covers the status of the website, the
use of digital certificates (https) on the website, details of employees, public
representatives, and information officers on the website, services provided by the
municipality, etc.
 123
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
Status of the Website
The status of the website at the local level has been studied based on the following
indicators.

 Registered on Domain but the website is not in operation

 The website is in operation but no regularly updated
 Website in operation and updated regularly

Status of the Website

9
10
No. of municipality

5
1
0
0
Domain only registered Website in operation but Website in operation and
website is not in not regularly updated updated regularly
operation

Figure 28: Status of the Website

The above graph shows that most of the municipalities have their official website but
according to the data in 9 local levels (about 90%), the website is in operation and
updated regularly, but in 1 local level (about 10%) i.e. Jantedhunga Rural Municipality,
website in operation but no regularly updated. Thus, the websites must be updated
regularly, which makes the effective service delivery to the public and other people.

Use of Digital Certificate (https) on Website

The status of the digital certificate (https) on websites is represented using the pie chart
below:

Use of Digital Certificate (https) in Website

3, 30%

Not in used
7, 70%
Used

Figure 29: Use of Digital Certificate (https) on Website

The above chart clearly shows that most of the local levels are using the digital certificate
(https) on their website and about 30% of local levels are not using digital certificates for
their website security. So, those offices are not using the https on their website, they need
to change their website into a secure website mechanism called a digital certificate.
 124
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
Status of Elected Official on the Website
The people's representative is considered the first person for any organization. Therefore,
the details of the people's representatives must be kept on the website. The status of an
elected official on the website is presented below:

Status of Elected official on the Website

The details are kept and updated regularly 9

The details kept but not regularly updated 1

Not kept 0

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
No. of Municipality

Figure 30: Status of Elected Official on the Website

According to the above statistics, most of the municipalities are updating the details of
elected officials are kept on their websites, and details are updated regularly. Similarly,
the details of elected officials have been posted on the website about (10%) but the details
have not been updated regularly. Thus, the details of elected officials are being updated
regularly on the websites of all the local levels of Nepal.
Status of Staff on the Website
On the website, the status of staff details is as follows:

Table 5: Status of Staff on the Website

Indicators No. of municipality Percentage

Not kept 0 0%
The details are kept but not regularly updated 1 10%
The details are kept and updated regularly 9 90%
Total 10 100%

According to the above statistics, most of the offices are updating and keeping the details
of staff on the websites, and the details are updated regularly. Similarly, the details of
staff have been posted on the website for about (10%) but the details have not been
updated regularly. Thus, the details of all staff are being updated regularly on the websites
of all the local levels of Nepal.
Publication of Information following Act and Rules on the Website
The website is a medium to deliver the information to the end-user, which creates a
virtual service for service providers as well as end-users. So, every office should be
updated and published their information through the websites. Thus, the study has found
the following status of publication of information in accordance with Act and rules on the
website as below:
 125
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023

Publication of Information accordance to Act and Rules on the

Website
6 5 5
No. of Municipality 5
4
3
2
1 0
0
Not published At least 50% of the All information is
information that needs to published and updated
be published automatically regularly
is published and updated

Figure 31: Publication of Information in Accordance to Act and Rules on the Website

According to the above statistics, in 5 local levels (50%) it is seen that all the information
related to the automatic publication as per the rules and regulations related to the right to
information is regularly published and updated. Similarly, information will be published
in 5 local levels (50%) but not regularly updated. Therefore, the information to be
published at all local levels should be updated regularly.

Details of Services on the Website

The list of the services must be kept on the website, which helps to make user friendly
and easy accessibility of the services. The following status of services is found during the
survey:

Details of Services on Website

6 5 5
No. of municipality

5
4
3
2
1 0
0
Not kept The details kept but The details of all
not regularly updated services are kept and
updated regularly

Figure 32: Details of Services on the Website

In the above figure, 50% of municipalities keep the details of all services updated
regularly, and similarly, 50% of municipalities keep the details but they are not updated
regularly. Thus, according to the above data, most of the municipalities are publishing the
details of services and are regularly updated.

Details of the Information Officer and Spokesperson posted on the Website

A study conducted on the website of all the local levels of Nepal, including the details of
the Information Officer and Spokesperson, found that the details were as follow.
 126
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023

Details of Information Officer and Spokesperson posted on the

Website

The details are kept and updated… 8

The details kept but not regularly… 2

Not kept
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
No. of Municipality

Figure 33: Details of Information Officer and Spokesperson posted on the Website

According to the above statistics, the details of the Information Officer and Spokesperson
in 8 local levels (80%) are posted on the website and the details are updated regularly.
Similarly, the details are kept in 2 local levels (20%) but it is not updated regularly. Thus,
the websites of all the local levels of Nepal are regularly updated with the details of the
Information Officer and the spokesperson.

Status of Digital Literacy in Municipality

Digital connectivity in common terms refers to access to a fast and reliable internet
connection allowing users to take benefits from smart and digital services. In Nepal,
digital connectivity is considerably improving in the last few years along with an increase
in access to mobile services (e-Sewa, n.d.). The state of digital literacy at the local level
seems to further help in the flow of services provided by the local levels through
information technology. Therefore, in this section, aspects like internet access and mobile
access have been discussed.
Access of Internet
At the local level, access to the Internet was studied based on indicators such as less than
25% of households, up to 25-50% of households, and more than 50% of households. The
data are represented below:

Access of Internet
In less than 25% of
households
1, 10%
Up to 25-50% of
3, 30%
6, 60% households
More than 50% of
households

Figure 34: Access to the Internet

According to the above statistics, internet access has reached less than 25% of households
in 6 local levels (60%). Similarly, in 3 local levels (30%) 25-50% of households appear to
have reached, while in 1 local level (10%) more than 50% of households appear to have
reached.
 127
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
Access of Mobile
At the local level, mobile access was studied based on indicators such as less than 25% of
households, up to 25-50% of households, and more than 50% of households. The data are
represented below:
Access of Mobile
12 10
No. of Municipality

10
8
6
4
2 0 0
0
In less than 25% of Up to 25-50% of More than 50% of
households households households

Figure 35: Access to Mobile

According to the above statistics, it is seen that all the households in Nepal have mobile
facilities. As a result, it seems to be easier to exchange information in Nepal.
Policy Provisions Related to Information Technology
At the local level, the policy provisions related to information technology provide a legal
basis for the flow of services provided by the local levels through information technology.
Therefore, in this section, the status of Local Acts related to Information Technology and
policy provision related to information technology for manpower has been discussed.
Status of Local Act Related to Information Technology
At the local level of Nepal, the situation of local law related to information technology
was studied based on three different indicators and it was found that the situation is as
per the details.
Status of Local Act related to Information Technology
8 7
No. of Municipality

7
6
5
4
3 2
2 1
1
0
Not issued Published in the Rajpatra Issued and implemented
but not implemented

Figure 36:Status of Local Act related to Information Technology

According to the above statistics, 7 local levels (70%) do not seem to have issued any
local activities related to information technology. Similarly, in 2 local levels (20%) the
Act Rajpatra has been published and is being implemented, while in 1 local level (10%)
only the local law related to information technology has been published in Rajpatra but it
has not been implemented.
 128
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
IT Policy for Manpower
After studying all the local levels of Nepal based on indicators such as the status of policy
implementation of information technology for manpower and the status of publication of
rules and regulations in Rajpatra, it was found that the details are as follows.
IT Policy for Manpower

10% Not done

Done but not published in

30%
60%
Rajpatra
Done and published in
Rajpatra

Figure 37: IT Policy for Manpower

According to the above statistics, there is no policy provision for manpower in 6 local
levels (60%) so far. Similarly, in 3 local levels (30%) there is an information technology
policy for manpower but it is not published in Rajpatra. At one local level (10%) there is
an information technology policy for manpower and it is also published in Rajpatra.

Conclusion
Developed countries are responsible for creating information technologies, but there is a
need to adapt and make them suitable for developing countries by recognizing the
importance of aligning IT implementation with local development needs. It is not solely
about the technology itself, but about adopting appropriate strategies to establish an
effective information system in each country. Research plays a crucial role in identifying
relevant issues and assisting in the formulation of suitable strategies. Each country has its
unique characteristics, and appropriate information technology, as perceived by
policymakers, supports activities that are deemed desirable at the national level. By
formulating a favorable and supportive information strategy, a country can effectively
utilize information technology for overall progress.

The main challenge lies in managing information technology in specific environments.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to IT management because it depends on various
external factors such as social, economic, political, and cultural differences between
countries. Internal factors like organizational culture and varying skills within
organizations, even within the same industry and country, also come into play. Therefore,
there is a significant need for academic research to understand the role of government in
developing national capabilities and address IT-related challenges in developing
countries.
 129
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
An assessment conducted in Nepal across 10 local levels, covering 40 indicators in 7
provinces, examined the use of information technology. These indicators included
manpower management, information technology infrastructure, institutional capacity, and
information technology in service delivery. The assessment yielded mixed results, with
some indicators showing relatively sufficient availability of IT-related manpower, regular
website updates, and consistent information dissemination by information officers at the
local level.

References

Application, S.-N. T. (n.d.). Sub-National Treasury Regulatory Application (SuTRA).

Retrieved 3 6, 2022, from sutra.fcgo.gov.np: https://sutra.fcgo.gov.np/index.asp

Arandia, J. L., & Reboreda, C. F. (2012). Insights on the Definition of an Agenda for ICT
Development in Municipal Governments: A Reference Model. Insights on the
Definition of an Agenda for ICT Development in Municipal Governments: A
Reference Model.

Aryal, M. (2020, 6 11). The Use of ICT in a Local Government Of Nepal. The Use of ICT
in a Local Government Of Nepal.

B, B., LW, C., & AE, E. (2013). Creating and Supporting a mixed methods health
services research team. Health Serv Res.

Badu, N. (2018, 3 16). Technology for improved local governance. Technology for
improved local governance.

Bhat, A. (2019, unknown). Research Design Definition. Retrieved from QuestionPro:

https://www.questionpro.com/blog/research-design

Bjorn-Andersen. (1990). A Contingency Approach to Managing Information Technology

in Developing Nations: Benefiting from Lessons Learned in Developed Nations.

Camille, C., & Brair, G. (2015). Information and Communication Technology and its
Role in Government Transparency and Citizen Participation. New Tactics in
Human Rights.

Comodo. (n.d.). Digital Certificate. Retrieved 1 15, 2022, from comodo.com:

https://www.comodo.com/resources/small-business/digital-
certificates.php#:~:text=A%20Digital%20Certificate%20is%20used,is%20trusted
%20by%20internet%20browsers.

Constitution of Nepal. (2015). Constitution of Nepal, 2015. Kathmandu: Nepal

Government.

Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational Research. New York: Pearson.

Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational Research. New York: Pearson.

Creswell, J. (2005). Educational Research. New York: Pearson.

 130
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
Creswell, J. W. (2005). Educational Research. New York: Pearson.

Devi, R., Deka, N., & Devi, R. (2021). Role of Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) in Good Governance.

Dhonju, G. R., & Shakya, S. (2019, 11 7). Analyzing challenges for the implementation
of e-government in municipalities within kathmandu valley. Analyzing challenges
for the implementation of e-government in municipalities within kathmandu
valley.

dictionary. (n.d.). Technology. (https://www.dictionary.com, Ed.) Retrieved 08 11, 2019,

from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/technology

DoIT. (2017). E GOVERNANCE. Kathmandu: doIT. Retrieved from

https://doit.gov.np/en/page/e-governance

DOIT. (2017, 08 09). E GOVERNANCE. Retrieved 02 11, 2022, from https://doit.gov.np:

https://doit.gov.np/en/page/e-governance

e-Governance Academy. (2007). ICT for Local Government. e-Governance Academy.

Retrieved 2 23, 2022

e-Governance Academy. (2007). ICT for Local Government. ICT for Local Government.

Ekaputri, G. H. (n.d.). The Importance of Information and Communication Technology

(ICT) for Development to Indonesia’s Future. Retrieved 08 10, 2019, from
http://workspace.unpan.org/sites/internet/documents/G3ID12%20The%20Importa
nce%20of%20Information%20and%20Communication%20Technology%20(ICT)
%20for%20Development%20to%20Indonesia%E2%80%99s%20Future.pdf

Elahe, M. (2017, 3 7). Role of Information and Communication Technologies in

Government Effectiveness. Retrieved from dl.acm.org:
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3047273.3047311

e-Sewa. (n.d.). Fundamentals of Digital Nepal. Retrieved 3 5, 2022, from

https://blog.esewa.com.np/fundamentals-of-digital-
nepal/#:~:text=Digital%20Literacy%3A,-
Digital%20Education%20remains&text=Even%20as%20the%20mobile%20penet
ration,in%20Nepal%20lack%20digital%20connectivity.

Gupta, S. D., Gupta, B., & Gupta, A. (2008). Adoption of ICT in a government
organization in a developing country: An empirical study. The Journal of
Strategic Information Systems.

Hart, C. (2018). Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Research Imagination. SAGE
Publications.

HopNepal. (2019, 4 21). Khotang District - Eastern Nepal. Retrieved 2 15, 2022, from
www.hopnepal.com: https://www.hopnepal.com/blog/khotang-district-eastern-
nepal
 131
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
Ictframe. (n.d.). Retrieved 11 01, 2019, from https://ictframe.com:
https://ictframe.com/what-is-e-governance-what-is-the-type-of-e-governance/

Igi-globa. (n.d.). Retrieved 11 10, 2019, from https://www.igi-global.com:

https://www.igi-global.com/dictionary/enhancing-autonomy-persons-intellectual-
impairments/13620

Investopedia. (n.d.). Revenue. Retrieved 3 6, 2022, from investopedia.com:

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/revenue.asp

JC, G., VJ, C., & WF, G. (1989). Toward a conceptual framework for mixed-method
evaluation design. Educ Eval Policy Anal.

Jorge Lozoya-Arandiaa, C. F.-R. (2012). Insights on the Definition of an Agenda for ICT
Development in Municipal Governments: A Reference Model. Insights on the
Definition of an Agenda for ICT Development in Municipal Governments: A
Reference Model, 283. Retrieved 3 4, 2022

JW, C., & ClarkV L, P. (2011). Designing and conducting mixed methods research.
California: BMJ Publishing Group.

Lebednik, C. (2017, september 26). Method and design research. Retrieved from
bizfluent: https://bizfluent.com/list-7646151-characteristics-mixedmethod-design-
research.html

Magher, M. (2018). What Is the Meaning of Conceptual Framework in Research?

classroom.synonym.com. Retrieved from
https://classroom.synonym.com/meaning-conceptual-framework-research-
6664512.html

Maria, V. A. (2018). The mediating role of ICT in the development of open government.
Journal of Global Information Technology Management.

Navarra, D. D., & Comford, T. (2005). ICT, Innovation and Public Management:
Governance, Models, and Alternatives for eGovernment Infrastructures. ECIS
2005 Proceedings, 121.

Nepal, C. o. (2015). Constitution of Nepal, 2015. Kathmandu: Government of Nepal.

Nepal, T. R. (2019, 10 26). 'Hello, Sarkar' To Address Public Complaints. Retrieved 3 6,

2022, from risingnepaldaily.com: https://risingnepaldaily.com/nation/hello-
sarkar-to-address-public-complaints

Neupane, P. (2010). Analyzing the ICT development of Nepal. Unknown:

prakashneupane.com.np. Retrieved from
https://prakashneupane.com.np/analyzing-the-ict-development-of-nepal/

Nycz , M., & Pólkowski, Z. (2015). The Use of ICT in a Local Government Unit. The
Use of ICT in a Local Government Unit.

OECD. (2006, 1 4). Vital Event. Retrieved from stats.oecd.org:

https://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=2870
 132
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
Parvaneh, S., & Hamid, F. (2014). Impact of information and communication technology
(ICT) on governance quality. European Online Journal of Natural and Social
Sciences.

Perron, B. E., & Taylor, H. O. (2011). Information and Communication Technologies in

Social Work. Information and Communication Technologies in Social Work.

Post, K. (2017). 744 new local units come into effect. Retrieved 10 13, 2019, from
https://kathmandupost.com/miscellaneous/2017/03/15/744-new-local-units-come-
into-effect

Pradhan, J. (2002). Information Technology in Nepal: What Role for the Government?
onlinelibrary.wiley.com. Retrieved from
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/j.1681-4835.2002.tb00047.x

Rafeedalie, D. (n.d.). Population and Sample. Retrieved 8 9, 2019, from Top Hat :
https://tophat.com/marketplace/social-science/education/course-notes/oer-
research-population-and-sample-dr-rafeedalie/1196

Rahman, H. (2007). Role of ICT in Establishing E-Government System for Disadvantaged

Communities.

Regoniel, P. A. (2015). CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK: A STEP BY STEP GUIDE ON

HOW TO MAKE ONE. SimplyEducate.Me. Retrieved from
https://simplyeducate.me/2015/01/05/conceptual-framework-guide/

Reuters, T. (2015). Poetics. Elsevier.

Rouse, M. (2019). information technology (IT). Unknown: TechTarget. Retrieved from

https://searchdatacenter.techtarget.com/definition/IT

Rouse, Margaret;. (2017). https://searchsqlserver.techtarget.com. Retrieved 10 20, 2019,

from https://searchsqlserver.techtarget.com/definition/information

Rura-Polley, T. (2001, 08 08). International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral

Sciences. https://www.sciencedirect.com. Retrieved from sciencedirect.com:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/computer-science/rational-model

Shakya, S., & Rauniar, D. (2016). Information Technology Education in Nepal An Inner
Perspective. www.researchgate.net. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279488743_Information_Technology_E
ducation_in_Nepal_An_Inner_Perspective

Sharma, A. (2016, 6). Information Communication Technology Development in Nepal.

Sharma, A. (2016). Information Communication Technology Development in Nepal.

Kathmandu: National Information Technology Center.

Sincero, S. M. (2011, March 11). Explorable. Retrieved from explorable.com:

https://explorable.com/cognitive-learning-theory

Sinsero, S. M. (2011, March 11). Explorable. Retrieved from explorable.com:

https://explorable.com/cognitive-learning-theory
 133
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH JOURNAL Vol.:2, Issue:2, 2023
Srivastava, S. (2017). Role of ICT in E-governance and Rural Development : An Indian
Scenario. 6.

Taherdoost, H. (2016). The questionnaire is one of the most widely used tools to collect
data, especially social science research. The main objective of the questionnaire
in research is to obtain relevant information in the most reliable and valid
manner. Thus the accuracy and . Kuala Lumour, Malaysiya: Hamta Business
Solution Sdn Bhd.

Techterms. (n.d.). Retrieved 10 16, 2019, from https://techterms.com:

https://techterms.com/definition/it

Times, T. H. (2017). Recently increased 22 local units published in Nepal Gazette.

Retrieved 08 13, 2019, from https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/recently-
increased-22-local-units-published-in-nepal-gazette/

UN, U. N. (2018). United Nations e-Governance Survey. United Nation.

UNESCO. (n.d.). In-service Training. Retrieved 3 6, 2022, from uis.unesco.org:

http://uis.unesco.org/en/glossary-term/service-training

UNFPA. (n.d.). Censuses and vital registration. Retrieved 3 6, 2022, from papp.iussp.org:
https://papp.iussp.org/sessions/papp102_s01/PAPP102_s01_040_010.html#:~:tex
t=Vital%20or%20civil%20registration%20is,of%20its%20citizens%20and%20re
sidents.

United Nations. (2018). UNITED NATIONS E-GOVERNMENT SURVEY. New York:

publicadministration.un.org.