Minister for Communications and Information Technology Dr Bikram Timilsina today visited the Security Printing Center at Panauti Municipality-5, Kavre and acquired information on the latest status of driver's license printing.
During the inspection, Communications Minister Dr Timilsina said the government is currently prioritising the improvement of public service delivery and is working to end the situation where citizens had to wait for a long time to obtain the license even after passing the trial.
He stated that from today, the arrangement to print and hand over the licence within 24 hours of paying the revenue after passing the trial has been implemented.
The Communications Minister announced that the license printing process is being accelerated and there is a goal to have all remaining licenses printed by July 16.
“The tendency to sit on feasible work by calling it impossible will end. The problem of not receiving the licence for months after passing the trial will be resolved, and the process of printing, which can be completed within 24 hours of paying the revenue, will be implemented from today itself,” he said.
Minister Dr Timilsina emphasized that the Security Printing Center should be developed as a significant state asset and a promising institution.
He mentioned that making the Center effective has been his priority since the first day of taking charge of the ministry, and problems had become complicated in various agencies due to a lack of necessary willpower and readiness in the past.
He emphasized the need to increase institutional responsibility by resolving those issues.
He expressed dissatisfaction over equipment purchased with large investments lying unused for years, while instructing to make effective use of the Center's available equipment.
The minister emphasized the need to use equipment worth around Rs one billion, including generators.
He also questioned why work could not be done in the past, given that machines that had been idle for three years are now operational and printing work is possible.
In the course of the monitoring, Minister Timilsina instructed the bodies concerned to give high priority to citizen's data security, clarifying that the government would perform in favour of the people.
"The government does not carry out activities in the interest of anyone. It will run for people's welfare," he mentioned.
The Communications Minister opined that the ministry is committed to keeping the service seekers in the center as well as to listen and address their problems.
He added that the issues of making mobile network and internet services accessible and improving the quality across the country is also on the Ministry's priority.
Minister Timilsina underlined that a target has been set to bring all citizens of the country to the access of technology within a year by addressing the complaints about the quality of Nepal Telecom's service.
Similarly, Executive Director of Security Printing Center, Devraj Dhungana, mentioned that they have been preparing a business plan to make this organization strong in a sustainable manner.
He viewed that important documents like passports, cheque books, smartcards, postage stamps and exercise duty stickers could be printed from this centre in future. The centre has submitted a detailed plan along with around Rs 8 billion budget before the government, he added.
Dhungana shared that the center has now been printing around 40,000 licenses every day, adding a target has been set to print 1.2 million licenses within April 25 and the remaining 1.7 million licenses within July 16.
Lawmakers-- Madhu Kumar Chaulagain, Dr Ram Lama, Badan Kumar Bhandari, among others were present on the occasion.
Minister Timilsina also enquired about the Center’s status of physical infrastructures, machines and empty buildings.
