Prime College, Khushibu, Nayabazar,

Kathmandu, Nepal

A CASE STUDYON
“E-VILLAGE PROJECT IN NEPAL”

SUBMITTED BY:
Sahan Shrestha (20490)
Soni Manandhar (20496)
Sushant Singh Basnet (20503)

A Project Report Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement of

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science & Information Technology
(BSC.CSIT) 5th Semester
Tribhuvan University, Nepal August 17th, 2022
E-Village
 SUPERVISOR’S RECOMMENDATION

It is my pleasure to recommend that a report on “E-village project in Nepal” has been

prepared under my supervision by Sahan Shrestha, Soni Manandhar, and Sushant Sing

Basnet in partial fulfillment of the requirement of the degree of Bachelor of Science in

Computer Science and Information Technology (B.Sc. CSIT). Their report is satisfactory

to process for the future evaluation.

.......................................

Mr. Roshan Nandan

Lecturer on E-Governance

Prime College

i
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The completion of this undertaking could not have been possible without the continual
support, assistance, and participation of so many people whose names may not all be
enumerated. Their contributions are heartily appreciated and warmly acknowledged.
However, we would like to convey our deep appreciation and indebtedness, particularly to
the following:

A special thanks to our E-Governance lecturer, Mr. Roshan Nandan for his endless support
and understanding spirit during the course of our case study.

To the ever caring and reassuring staff of Prime College, who made all the required tools
and equipment available to us and also provided us with a tranquil abode to complete our
task.

We would also like to thank our seniors for guiding us throughout the study and helping us
overcome the stumbling blocks.

To all our relatives, friends, and others who supported us morally, financially, and
physically.

With Respect,

Sahan Shrestha

Soni Manandhar

Sushant Singh Basnet

ii
 ABSTRACT

E-Village implies access of information technology to the rural level by improvement,

augmentation, and advancement of regions including public administrations (e-
administration), schooling, wellbeing, horticulture, the travel industry, and nearby turns of
events. The primary motivation behind this program is to raise the standard of life and
financial advancement of the rustic regions through the quick improvement of data and
correspondence innovation to limit the development of computerized split among city and
provincial regions. Because of absence of accessibility of data innovation foundation and
skilled manpower, it is extremely difficult to offer different types of assistance to remote
and provincial regions of the nation. However, all of the fundamental administrative
services can be made easily available and effective through E-Village Center. In this sense,
E-Village focuses on data innovation administration. To carry out the E-Village program,
the Department has given the following: Desktop Computer, Laptop, Printer, Photocopy,
Scanner, Projector, Ext. Hard Disk, Sound System, Switch, Modem, Solar Power Backup,
E-Village Portal, E-School MIS Software, Digital Contents (Teaching/Learning Audio-
Visual Contents), including equipment, programming and advanced content.

Key Words: E-governance, e-village

iii
 TABLE OF CONTENT

SUPERVISOR’S RECOMMENDATION ............................................................................

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................. ii

ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................ iii

TABLE OF CONTENT ...................................................................................................... iv

LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................ vi

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................1

1.1 E-village .....................................................................................................................2

1.2 Details of E-village Centers Established from the Departments ...............................2

1.3 Services and Functionalities of E-village Programs ..................................................6

1.4 Potentials of E-village Projects ..................................................................................7

CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................8

CHAPTER 3: LITERATURE REVIEW ...........................................................................10

CHAPTER 4: RESULT AND DISCUSSION ...................................................................11

4.1 Fundamental Interview ............................................................................................11

4.2. CHALLENGES OF THE PROJECT......................................................................12

4.2.1. Budget Constraints ...........................................................................................12

4.2.2 Smart Technology .............................................................................................13

4.2.3 Lack of Knowledge ...........................................................................................13

4.3 Problem statement ....................................................................................................13

4.4 Objectives ................................................................................................................14

4.5. Towards development of E-village .........................................................................15

4.6. Geospatial technology for E-village .......................................................................15

4.6.1. Geospatial technology in Nepal .......................................................................16

iv
CHAPTER 5: EVOLUTION AND FUTURE SCOPE .....................................................18

5.1. Evolution of e-village in Nepal ...............................................................................18

5.2. Present Situation of E-Village in Nepal .................................................................19

5.2.1 Purpose/ Benefit of Setting up an official E-village web page .........................19

5.3. Future Scope of E-village .......................................................................................20

CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION ..........................................................................................22

REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................23

Appendix- 1 .......................................................................................................................25

v
 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Share of Rural Population in Nepal (2012 – 2021) ..............................................1

Figure 2: Research Methodology .........................................................................................8
Figure 3:Ecosystem of e-village ........................................................................................12
Figure 3:Ecosystem of e-village ........................................................................................12

vi
 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

A rural is a geographic region that is located outside the cities and towns, while rural
regions are also called “village” in Nepal. In these villages, agriculture is the primary source
of livelihood, along with cottage industries, pottery, fishing, etc. Nepal being a rural-
dominated country, the rural population of Nepal in 2021 was 23,440,813, which is a 1.29%
increase from 2020. According to the data of 2021, approximately 79% of the population
in Nepal were residing in rural areas. Therefore, we can state that villages are the heart of
Nepal. As a result, for a prosperous development, attention must be paid to the
advancement of villages through the use of ICT solutions to achieve self-sufficiency.

Figure 1: Share of Rural Population in Nepal (2012 – 2021)

1
1.1 E-village

E-village is a process of making information technology available in the rural areas of the
nation. This can be achieved by developing and promoting different public administrations.
It involves the augmentation and advancement of areas like education, health, agriculture,
tourism, and local development.

The ultimate goal of this program is to improve the living standards and quality of life of
rural residents through economic development. Correspondingly, a sustainable economic
development can only be achieved through the development of information and
communication technology.

The unavailability of proper information technology, infrastructure, and manpower causes

difficulty in delivering services to remote areas of the country. Consequently, they lack
basic services and facilities. However, the E-village centers aid in solving such issues. E-
village centers are information technology centers that provide services to the public.

To carry out the project, the respective department provided desktop computers, laptops,
printers, photocopy machines, scanners, projectors, hard drives, modems, switches, solar
power backup, e-school MIS software, digital content.

1.2 Details of E-village Centers Established from the Departments

Sno. District E-Village Center

• E-village center Shree Janajyoti Higher

1. Arghakhanchi Secondary School, Sandhikharka,
Arghakhanchi.

• E-village Center Shree Adarsha Higher

2. Chitwan
Secondary School, Dibyanagar, Chitwan.

2
 • E-village Center Shree Snagam ibrary, Gaighat,
3. Udaipur
Udaipur.

• E-village Center, Durgapur, Jhapa.

• E-village Center, Shree Triphala National Library,
4. Jhapa
Central Office.

• E-village Center, Shree Dahu Higher Secondary

5. Ramechhap
School, Bethan, Ramechhap.

• E-village Center Shree Seti Devi Panchakanya

6. Sindupalchowk Higher Secondary School, Kubinde,
Sindupalchowk.

• E-village Center Shree Sanskrit Higher Secondary

7. Rautahat
School, Matsari, Rautahat.

• E-village Center Shree Himalaya Higher Secondary

School, Khurkot, Parbat.
8. Parbat
• E-village Center Shree Moti Library, Khanigaun,
Parbat.

• E-village Center, Shree Ram Sakhi Mohit Singh

Janata Higher Secondary School, Balara, Sarlahi.
9. Sarlahi
• E-village Center Shree Tej Narayan Dayawati,
Sarlahi.

• E-village Center, Shree Rastriya Higher Secondary

10. Achham
School, Babla, Achham.

• E-village Center, Shree Janata Lower Secondary

11. Salyan
School, Burasetakuri, Damachaur, Salyan.

• E-village Center, Shree Siddeshwor Higher

12. Banke
Secondary School, Fattepur, Banke.

3
 • E-village Center Shree Jay Janata Secondary
School, Manipur, Thapuwa, Banke.

• E-village Center, Shree Sapaneshwor Higher

13. Kavre
Secondary School, Tukucha, Kavre.

• E-village Center Shree Kshetra Bikas Secondary

School, Bijuwar-04, Punyakhola, Pyuthan.
14. Pyuthan
• E-village Center Shree Janajagaran Bikas Kendra,
Pyuthan.

• E-village Center Shree Mahendra Higher Secondary

15. Dang
School, Dharna-2, Dang.

• E-village Center Shree Shukla Fanta Samudayik

16. Kanchanpur Pustakalaya and Museum, Bhimdutt NP-1 Bhasi,
Kanchanpur.

• E-village Center Shree High One Hope Samudayik

17. Kaski
Pustakalaya, Lekhanath-18, Kaski.

• E-village Center Shree Chandra Jyoti Lower

18. Lamjung Secondary School, Baglungpani-9, Bimdabese,
Lamjung.

• E-village Center Shree Amar Secondary School,

19. Dhankuta
Phalante-8, Dhankuta.

• E-village Center Shree Shahid Smriti Higher

20. Gorkha
Secondary School, Bunkot-3, Chape, Gorkha.

• E-village Center Shree Khotang Bikash Manch,

Khotang.
21. Khotang
• E-village Center Shree Sharada Secondary School,
Kharpa, Khotang.

4
 • E-village Center Shree Nandadevi Secondary
22. Kalikot
School, Malkot-3, Serapata, Kalikot.

• E-village Center Shree Gramin Suchana Kendra,

23. Ilam
Godak, Ilam.

• E-village Center Bhavani Sewa Samiti, Saptari.

24. Saptari • E-village Center Shree Rajeshwori Lower
Secondary School, Mauwaha, Saptari.

• E-village Center Shree Bhatakuwa Lower

25. Gulmi
Secondary School, Gulmi.

• E-village Center, Shree Paklihawa Higher

Secondary School, Paklihawa, Rupandehi.
26. Rupandehi
• E-village Center Shree Shivapur Secondary School,
Shibpur, Tilotama na.pa.14, Rupandehi.

• E-village Center Shree Hanumanteshwor Higher

27. Dolakha
Secondary School, Kabre, Dolakha.

• E-village Center, Shree Rastriya Tatha Shanti

28. Kathmandu Park(Smarak), Park Nirmaan tatha Byawasthapan
Samiti, Gokarneshwor na.pa.9, Jagdol, Kathmandu.

• E-village Center Shree Mahakali Secondary School,

29. Doti
Khateda-4, Gadasera, Doti.

• E-village Center Shree Secondary School, Rudouli,

30. Dhanusha
Sonigama, Dhanusha.

• E-village Center Shree Bahu-Udeshya Krishak

31. Sindhuli Sahakari Sanstha Limited, Jhagajholi Ratamata-1,
Sindhuli.

5
 • E-village Center Shree Shring Secondary School,
32. Tanahu
KotDurbar-8 Gothadi, Tanahu.

• E-village Center Shree Tara Secondary School,

33. Rolpa
Liwang na.pa.8 Rolpa.

• E-village Center Shree Khanddevi Secondary

34. Surkhet
School, Chauras, Satakhani-5, Surkhet.

• E-village Center Shree BatsalaDevi Secondary

35. Makawanpur
School, Sinseri, Makwanpur.

• E-village Center Shree Janasewa Higher Secondary

36. Siraha
School, Karjanha-4, Siraha.

1.3 Services and Functionalities of E-village Programs

The E-village project extensively utilizes information and communication technologies and
therefore provides several facilities and helps to overcome multiple challenges like under-
development, migration for economic pursuance, improved standard of living, etc. Some
of the key facilities of e-village are as follows:

• The E-village project provides regular e-awareness. It is the ability to understand the
real impact of the changes brought by the information society in one’s context.
• It also provides e-literacy programs that significantly boost the creativity, functional
skills, and communication skills of the students, while they also develop the ability to
find and select information.
• The e-village project also includes village awareness meetings and identification of e-
villages.
• The projects also conduct a detailed assessment of villagers’ information needs, and an
ICT capacity-building workshop for facilitators.
• Besides, they aid in accessing the agricultural resources, convergence of university
education, research, and extension programs with e-Village Centre.

6
• Likewise, e-village projects also provide advanced farming technologies.
• It conducts a rural horticulture work experience program (RHWE)

1.4 Potentials of E-village Projects

Information and communication technologies (ICT) have shown their potential for the
benefit of mankind in many different fields. Thus, various research has perceived the
potential of ICTs for rural development and it may play a prominent role in the swift and
sustainable development of rural Nepal in coming years.

Considering the constraints of customary rural planning and construction, the village
planning must be a bottom-up process that prioritizes local community participation.
Information and communication technologies have a large potential for the betterment of
rural life through their application in different areas of the village. The effect of ICT has
significantly improved the lives of people living in urban areas. The rural population on the
other hand, neglected and could not gain optimum benefits from the technologies, resulting
in a virtual digital divide between the rural and urban population.

There may be different conflicting thoughts about the potentiality and adaptability of ICT
technologies in rural areas. However, the use of ICT, capacity development, and
empowerment at individual and community level will certainly ensure the demand,
delivery, reach, and use of quality services. Such successful implementation of ICT-based
activities in rural areas will further prove the strong potential of the technology.

Moreover, it also helps in identifying system bottlenecks and gaps, improving data analysis
and monitoring, while enhancing appropriate technical and entrepreneurial skills, and
promoting social norms and behaviors favorable to the acknowledgement of village
development.

7
 CHAPTER 2

METHODOLOGY

The techniques used to orchestrate a model in this examination were finished through
starter interview, writing audit of past investigations, books and examination of supporting
guidelines. Writing audit was taken by choosing articles as indicated by the meaning of the
model and the instances of its applications. Then it was gone on by an examination of
neighborhood guidelines managing the exploration object.
The exploration approach should be visible on the figure.

Figure 2: Research Methodology

This research carried out the preliminary interview to obtain information related to the
general overview of information and communication technologies implementation in rral
areas of the nation. The criteria of the informants were Head of Village, TI Staff or service
staff and head of department or staff at related department. Writing audit was done

8
subsequently to figure out the definition, model and execution of information and
technology.
Writing survey of this examination was taken from the data set of electronic diaries, for
example, Government of Nepal ministry of communication and information technology,
IEEE, Emerald Insight, Springer, Science Direct and Google Scholar. The keywords used
to find the writing were 'e-village' and 'smart rural'.

The watchwords utilized were not determined by the year. The "smart village" catchphrase
shows that there were 78 examination records of Science direct data set, 87 examination
reports of IEEE, 1680 exploration records of Google Scholar, 84 examination reports of
Springer data set and 36 examination records of Emerald understanding data set. Another
watchword, "smart rural"; showed that there were 23 exploration archives of Science direct
data set, 10 research records of IEEE, 578 examination archives of Google Scholar, 127
exploration reports of Springer data set and 8 examination records of Emerald
understanding information base. In an aggregate, there were 2711 research document
search on “smart village” and “smart rural” around the world.

Based on these results, not every document was analyzed. The researcher verified the
redundant documents and filtered based on its titles.

9
 CHAPTER 3

LITERATURE REVIEW

This writing survey was taken from books, diaries, past investigations connected with the
E-village, smart village, and smart rural.

E-village is a process of making information technology available in the rural areas of the
nation. This concept was defined by the Government of Nepal ministry of communication
and information technology in their official website https://doit.gov.np/en/spage/e-villege
[1]. A smart village model followed a model from smart city as an effect of integrated
technology changes to be implemented in the remote areas. The aim of e-village was to
help it solve all problems through the implementation of ICT (Information and
Communications Technology) and GIS (Geographic Information System) [2].

E-village concept focuses on the role of technology in building governance and public
services. Technology used by Muke and Nilesh in their research was able to be used by
people lived in rural area in order to improve their quality of life [3]. The use of modern
technologies by villagers will make them more responsive [4]. Smart village model based
on the concept of “Access to Information for Everybody” in which ICT (Information and
Communications Technology) service was reached easily by villagers through IIIC
program [5].

Smart village model developed by N. Viswanadham and S. Vedula was called as smart
village ecosystem covering 4 aspects; 1) Institution, 2) Resources, 2) Service Chain and 4)
Service delivery technologies & mechanism [6]. Besides, there were 7 primary areas in 3-
village including economy, ICT, people, governance, environment, living and energy [7].
E-village existed because of ICT awareness that was able to be utilized as the instrument
as the efforts of local economic development [8]. The use of technology became a main
factor in creating e-village [9].

10
 CHAPTER 4

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Fundamental Interview

The fundamental information assortment was completed by the unstructured meetings with
3 respondents comprising of Chief of village, village administrator, and government staff.
Chief of village and IT staff were chosen from town that had executed information and
technology in the past. An indicator of e-village was the existence of a Wi-Fi network at
the village office, which could be accessed freely by the villagers.

In the interim, IT staff explained that the "E-village" program is a program that can
accelerate and facilitate services to the community like services that is accessed both on the
web and off the web. So that people don’t have to go to Regency office. This makes the
process of assessing the online and offline public services extremely facile for the
community.

The following respondent was the public authority staff, who explained that "E-village" is
a rule program that directs villages to be IT proficient. Each
town should have its own independence, so that the regency government has to solely
provide infrastructure and direction for implementing and improving information
technology. Besides, it also permits to carry out special recruitment of IT staffs.

Based on the results of the preliminary interview, it was found that e-village was a
government program for villages that already had supporting regulations. Smart village
program was under the authority of government of Nepal ministry of communication and
information technology. E-village program is closely related to online services to the
community. This program accelerates and facilitates services to the community.

11
4.2. CHALLENGES OF THE PROJECT

There is a big demand for smart technologies that are to be used in the e-village programs.
Likewise, there is also a need for the proper financial resources and a market to create these
technologies. But as of now, there are a lot of constraints to getting the ecosystem ready
for financial resources as well as for proper marketization.

Figure 3:Ecosystem of e-village

Figure 4:Ecosystem of e-village

4.2.1. Budget Constraints

There is an immense issue of financial plan requirements, which basically restrict inventive
reasoning and create obstacles for the vast majority of initiatives. The spending plan
imperatives have created numerous deterrents for a ton of brilliant drives that, if
appropriately supported, could be savvier and more productive.

12
4.2.2 Smart Technology

It is understood that the smart technologies for e-village programs are still in the conceptual
or pre-commercial stage. Correspondingly, since the technologies are still not available, it
creates uncertainties regarding return on investment. Besides, this also results in
apprehension of a long payback period, and investors are unwilling to invest.

4.2.3 Lack of Knowledge

Another big challenge related to e-village in Nepal is the lack of knowledge of the people
using present-day technology. The public’s experience regarding modern technologies has
not been quite good for several reasons, one of which is the paucity of knowledge.
Similarly, there are other constraints which are not so important but still deserve mention,
such as a lack of technology-related skills, constraints on integration, and limited
understanding and influence over the basic available services.

4.3 Problem statement

A village is a perfect place to live if we are in search of harmony with nature. Villages may
appear green, serene, and pollution-free however life in these places can be quite
challenging. People have everything for their minimum requirements of life. We are
enjoying a comfortable life in the cities and have access to everything that makes our life
convenient. However, the villagers don’t enjoy such comfort and convenience due to the
lack of modern facilities. Some of the problems faced by the people due to the lack of
proper facilities in terms of internet can are described below:

• Lack of Suitable Telecommunications Infrastructure

• Lack of Suitable Telecommunications Infrastructure:
• Lack of Familiarities of Villagers with Computer
• Fears of Possible Cultural Damage from Accepting or Rejecting Technology (in Family
and Society):
• Villagers Need to Understand the Feeling of Having Information and Communication
Technology:

13
External challenges:
• Creating A Suitable Environment for ICT:
• Determining A Strategy for Development
• Allocate Adequate Resources for ICT Development:
• Formulation of Objectives and Priorities for Technology Development:

4.4 Objectives

• Enhance Human, Digital, and Physical networks throughout the country’s various
villages with each other and with Urban areas, providing efficient access to information,
communication, products, services, and many other facilities.
• Boost Connectivity with Villages and Bridge the Information & Communication Gap
between Urban and Rural Areas.
• Provide job opportunities and employment to locals by appointing & training one
representative in every village.
• Support and Facilitate Growth and Development of Villages.
• Provide Complete Information on Every Village and Open New Channels of
Communication, thereby creating a new direct market for farmers and a source of
business and work opportunities for villagers.
• Understand the Daily Needs and Wants of People in Rural Areas, especially in the
Neglected and Remote Villages and Tribal Localities.

14
4.5. Towards development of E-village

The realities and challenges in growing urban and rural areas are clearly different due to
limits and possibilities. Many experts feel that existing smart city technology can be used
to the E-village concept. According to the researchers, the E-village system may be
constructed along the lines of the smart city concept. The components taken into account
for communities will differ depending on the available resources and possibilities.
Following are some generalized guidelines for the development of E-Villages:

1. Economic Component: This component will include local administration and economic
factors. It will cover governance models, bandwidth, mobility, cloud computing,
entrepreneurship etc.

2. Environmental Component: This component will address the issues related to resources
and infrastructures available at local level. It may cover cleaner technologies, public
and alternative transportation, green spaces, smart growth, climate change etc.

3. Social Component: This component may address issues related to community life,
participatory democracy, social innovation, proximity services etc.

4.6. Geospatial technology for E-village

ICT is a catch-all term for a variety of tools and technology. A detailed study of each tool
and technology is beyond the scope of this paper. However, one potential technology, Geo-
informatics, may be valuable for villages as they transition from rural to E-villages. In terms
of decision support systems, geo-informatics technologies can play a significant role in the
deployment and execution of ICT in the "E- Village." Different geographical and non-
spatial layers can be blended and integrated to enhance analysis and decision making.
Recent advancements in GIS, GPS, remote sensing, web services, and location-based
services and technology can promote novel management, governance, and citizen
engagement methods that are in line with E- Village aims. Geospatial data and Geographic
Information System (GIS) are fundamental components for developing E-villages since
they translate the actual world into a virtual environment. GIS-based planning and support
technologies enable planners and the village community to quickly design and visualize
15
alternative scenarios, as well as assess their potential consequences on future land use
patterns and population and employment trends. The concept of E-village will provide the
similar kind of facilities to the villages, so that the agrarian community will remain in
villages and not migrate to urban areas. Future generations will contribute immensely in
development process and enjoy the traditional agriculture activity with the use of modern
technology. Following are some potential areas, where E- Village may create measurable
and significant impact: -

• Organized Settlements: The population of the hamlet is dispersed unevenly, and it is

not well connected to the village roadways. These may be re-distributed while keeping
appropriate zones for housing, play places, agricultural land, and regions to create
different infrastructures such as a bio-fuel generating center, above water tank, and so
on.
• Smart Agriculture: To improve the quality and quantity of agricultural produce,
"Sensor" technology is being used to make farms more "intelligent" and linked via
"Precision agriculture," also known as "smart farming."
• Road Infrastructure: GIS analysis guarantees that all rural residences are adequately
connected by rural roads.
• Smart water supply: Water supply for agricultural, home, and drinking purposes should
be provided. This may assist the efficient and just use of surface and ground water
resources.
• Smart sanitation: To promote disease-free communities, smart equipment may be used
in rural regions.
• Education: GIS analysis may be performed to identify potential areas for the
establishment of state-of-the-art education centres for the communities. A virtual
classroom facility might be given to take use of accessible specialists in other locations.
• Disaster management (DM): Due to a lack of preparedness, villagers are easily affected
by calamities. To address all disaster-related concerns, DM cells might be established
at the panchayat level. For monitoring future scenarios, the DM cell will link to the
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) via the central server.

4.6.1. Geospatial technology in Nepal

16
GIS is now becoming a demanded crosscutting subject at the universities and many other
institutions. It has introduced academic courses at different levels. Similarly, a number of
commercial entrepreneurs are investing good amount of resources as well as several
development agencies focusing on GIS-based decision support systems. Nepalese
organizations including all governmental, non-governmental and social as well as at
individual level are also investing quiet a good amount of resources on it. In this context
the development of GIS in Nepal and its social responsibility has to be analyzed critically.
In this paper focus has been given to search the space of GIS in the Nepalese governmental,
non-governmental and academic institutions and so on. The study has been found many
institutional setups have the provision to work with due consideration to the spatial
dimensions. Many of them have already procured hardware, software and also investing
quite a good amount of money. In practice, several such organizations have very less
output. In this context, while going through the analysis, some challenges appeared are
highlighted and a way forward has been given to its development.

17
 CHAPTER 5

EVOLUTION AND FUTURE SCOPE

5.1. Evolution of e-village in Nepal

The time period 2000-2010 (A.D.) become the ICT decade for Nepal. During when,
government has promulgated several ICT related policies and also perform the research
consultation including pilot projects to increase ICT accessibilities in Rural Nepal. The
government 10th plan, 2002-2007 has focused the involvement of private sector for socio-
economic development with promotion of telecommunications sector in Rural Nepal.

The plan also focused on the establishment of community information centers to realize the
importance of IT in social development. IT Policy sets the objective to make IT reachable
to general public with the targets to provide internet facilities to all Village Development
Committees (VDC) of Nepal. It was targeted to have knowledge-based society and
knowledge-based industries by putting IT as a prioritized sector.

Telecom Policy-2004 encouraged the universal connectivity and liberalization of telecom

services by provisioning different licensing resign like Rural Telecom Operator with
subsidy in licensing fee only to Rs100 for ISPs. Similarly, policy provisioned the formation
of Rural Telecommunications Disbursement Funds (RTDF) management committee to
utilize the 2% revenue collected by all service providers in their annual profit to enable ICT
services to rural areas. More than 10 billion Nepalese rupees as revenue has been collected
till date. Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has initiated for the consultancy of
smart business concept towards utilization of RTDF funds.

The Broadband Policy, 2014 has set some of the targets for better ICT services in rural
Nepal. Expansion of fiber connection to every district headquarter, expansion of
wired/wireless infrastructure to every Village Development Committee, guarantee of
broadband access to every home, encouragement of e-service on every VDC and concept
of e-VDC of Nepal is imagined by broadband policy, 2014. Local content development and

18
management, proper utilization of RTDF for ICT and broadband service expansion are the
major focus of broadband and ICT policy 2015.

E-Government Master Plan (e-GMP) of Nepal enforces the networked government with
the establishment of tele centers at the rural places and access to broadband network
services at densely populated areas. The government enterprise architecture proposed the
technical and citizen service framework from central Government to the VDC level
focusing on wireless infrastructure at the rural places.
Looking into the ICT service connectivity and coverage scenarios by major operators,
Nepal Telecom is the largest incumbent operator provides basic telephone, mobile as well
as internet (ADSL, Lease, Wi-MAX, and GPRS) services. There is other four telecom
operators licensed to provide services at different parts of rural and peri-urban areas of
Nepal under limited mobility license.

Hence increasing the ICT penetration at rural Nepal shall be encouraging for government
and the service providers with the availability of services and competition in the market.

5.2. Present Situation of E-Village in Nepal.

Thanks to the internet, the world has now become a global village. With the help of
network, people now have the advantage of accessing information from their homes,
villages, and remote place through electronic devices. Seizing this opportunity, the
Government of Nepal Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has set up
an official E-village web page.
To implement E- Village program, the Department has provided the desktop computer,
laptop, printer, photocopy, scanner, projector, hard disk, sound system, switch, modem,
solar power backup, E-Village portal, E-School MIS software, digital contents, and so on
to the different departments in different villages.

5.2.1 Purpose/ Benefit of Setting up an official E-village web page

• To use Internet as a means of communication to provide services to village residents.

• To make use of virtual environment to eliminate possible problems that occur due to
geographical limitations, lack of communication, etc.
19
• To inform people about the recent developments in the village through ICT.
• To make comparative changes in developing an e-village.
• To display the developments and improvements in any village through data charts,
tables, etc.
• To produce and discuss ideas and then put them into action through forum discussions.
• To make use of information technologies designed for villages more effectively and
efficiently.
• To help villages improve their quality of life over time.
• To enhance the technical and economic feasibility of digital technology, standardize
technology packages for future applications, and develop awareness and capacity
building activities on information technology systems.
• To build closer relationship with people who are from the same or different village.

5.3. Future Scope of E-village

The concept of e-village is not a new thing; however, it is also not an overnight process.
The concept of E-village provides space and access to the village to manage the resources
they have.

1) E-Village Budgeting (e-VB): E-Village Budgeting is a village financial system such as

Financial Management Information System in villages and connect directly with the
District Development Planning Agency. e-VB consists of three parts, namely planning,
governance, and evaluation. The e-Village Monitoring (e-VM) function to oversee the
village development program, both physical and non-physical programs. e-VM is
carried out by the district head, who will take pictures of some stages of program
implementation. Furthermore, the image can be uploaded on the google map. This will
facilitate the public to know the progress about a program in the village.

2) Globalization: A global village is a better term to comprehend the relationship between

implementing an e-village and globalization. A global village refers to the way various
media and technologies have accelerated social interaction and cultural change around
the world. The concept of a global village has been brought about by the rapid

20
 development of information technology. In the absence of e-village, villagers rely on
informal communication and the limited number of available electronic media.
Through the concept of e-village, villagers can instantaneously check anything on the
Internet and obtain new insight from anybody, anywhere, around the clock.

3) Village Network: Removing geographical boundaries also removes language and

cultural barriers that hinder communication between people around the world who live
in different countries. A properly implemented e-village through village network can
help reducing the feelings of loneliness. Through the use of technology and networks,
people keep in touch with family and friends, and allows the creation of virtual
communities. This network is an effective way of forming self-help groups for people.
People can share information about their skills, hobbies, and other things they’re
passionate about so that everyone can learn something new.

Figure: People connected together on their interest basis build a network of personal
relationships.

4) Security and Safety: Safety is an essential attribute of any technological service

responsible for the well-being of human beings. So, it is necessary to choose the
appropriate mechanism for data authentication and protection. As for safety, a key
aspect is enhancing the trustworthiness of the systems such that in no case the users be
jeopardized. E-village if implemented correctly can provide villager with a safe and
secure method to access data and information

21
 CHAPTER 6
CONCLUSION

Owing to the Internet, a new communication environment has been created affecting all
levels of a nation. This has also made it possible to spread and consume information in a
global scale by removing time and geographical constraints. Similarly, this has also aided
to the development of villages in terms of making information technology available in rural
areas.

E-villages are in the need of the hour as development is needed for both rural and urban an
area for better livelihood. There are successful technologies available, which have been
implemented in urban areas and is still in process in rural areas. The concept of "e-village"
has the potential to improve life on a local level, contributing to the general growth of a
country.
The idea of making e-village in Nepal the present-day context seems more doable as the
situation of communication and information technology is on the rise with every passing
day. Still, to take baby steps initially would be the more reasonable thing to do in the
process of implementing an E-village.

22
 REFERENCES

1. https://doit.gov.np/en/spage/e-villege
2. P. Abinash and J. Josephine 2018 Internet of Things (IoT) for Smart Village
(International Conference on Advancements in Engineering, Technology and
Sciences (ICAETS)) pp. 813– 819.
3. A. M. Muke and U. Nilesh S 2017 Use of Advanced Technology in Developing
Smart Villages (International Journal of Research in Engineering Science and
Technology vol. 03) no. 04, pp. 1–6
4. J. Ahlawat 2017 Smart Villages , Information Communication Technology and
Geographical Information System (International Journal of Current Trends in
Science and Technology vol. 7) no. 8, pp. 20232–20238
5. T. Kamal, F. J. Tuli, M. Hassan, T. H. Rupam, and B. W. Habib 2018 Information
, Innovation and Implementation Center (IIIC): Concept towards Smart Village
(Researchgate)
6. N. Viswanadham and S. Vedula 2010 Design of Smart Villages (ISB: The Centre
for Global Logistics and Manufacturing Strategies)
7. J. Holmes and M. Thomas 2015 Introducing the Smart Villages Concept
(International Journal on Green Growth and Development vol. 1) no. 2 pp. 151–154
8. A. D. Santoso et al., 2019 Desa Cerdas: Transformasi Kebijakan dan Pembangunan
Desa Merespon Era Revolusi Industri 4.0. (Yogyakarta: Center for Digital Society
UGM)
9. A. Singh and M. Patel 2018 Achieving Inclusive Development Through Smart
Village (PDPU Journal of Energy and Management vol. 3) no. 1, pp. 37–43
10. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS?locations=NP
11. https://www.statista.com/statistics/761008/nepal-share-of-rural-
population/#:~:text=In%202021%2C%20approximately%2079%20percent,in%20
rural%20areas%20in%202012.
12. https://saravananraj.in/2020/07/e-village/
13. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280613118_SMART_VILLAGES_THR
OUGH_INFORMATION_TECHNOLOGY_-_NEED_OF_EMERGING_INDIA
14. E-Village || Department Of Information Technology (doit.gov.np)
15. E-Village – Welcome to Nepal (wordpress.com)

23
16. (PDF) E-Village Pedagogical Behavior From E-Government Through VSAT-A
Case Study (researchgate.net)
17. https://iopscience.iop.org/
18. e-village | ශ්‍රී ලංකා ත ාරතුරු හා සන්නිතේදන ාක්ෂණ

ිතයෝජි ාය නය - ICTA
19. E-VILLAGE INDIA | All you need to know about E-VILLAGE (asagriaqua.com)
20. Allianz E-Village | FIA Formula E

24
 Appendix- 1

(Screenshots)

25
26
27
28