Rs 5.63b to expand optical fiber in rural districts

KATHMANDU, Sept 25: 

Ministry of Information and Communications (MoIC) has decided to utilize Rs 5.63 billion that it holds under the Rural Telecommunication Development Fund (RTDF) for the expansion of optical fiber to rural districts under District Optical Fiber Project. 

The Ministry through a minister-level decision on Monday also decided to form a committee for the implementation of the project, which targets to improve the voice and data access along with enhancing the quality in rural areas. 

The ministry was working to come with a specific policy for the mobilization of RTDF from almost two years ago. Although two different committees were formed seeking suggestions for the mobilization of RTDF, those had failed to derive result. 

Purushottam Khanal, director of Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) said the committee formed by the ministry will be headed by NTA chairman with members from MoIC and National Planning Commission. Khanal said the committee will work on selection of the district along with other procedures for the implementation of the project. 

Telecom operators and internet service providers are required to pay 2 percent of their total annual revenue to the fund. 

Although the fund was established with the establishment of the authority, it had remaining idle for more than a decade due to lack of clear policy and unwillingness of concerned authority. The fund is targeted to develop, expand and operate telecommunication services in rural areas.

Source: Republica