In a significant citizen-friendly move by an embattled government, Nepal will soon launch the Citizen App--a mobile application for citizens to avail all government services - as the council of ministers has approved the Citizen App (Operation and Management ) Directive 2021. 

It will be a single electronic platform in a simple, economical, and effective manner by prioritizing the use of information technology, reported The Himalayan Times. The directive has been developed under the existing Good Governance (Management and Operation) Act.

Citizens will be available to apply for any government through the app, and a government agency will verify the authenticity of the SIM and the identity of the concerned user from telecom service providers before delivering the services. 

The application will cover services provided by ministries, departments, entities, and offices of the government of Nepal, courts, constitutional bodies, commissions and secretariats, provincial governments and subordinate agencies, local levels, universities, colleges, schools, enterprises, foundations, boards, committees, authorities, companies, missions, and other agencies may be connected to the app with the approval of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.

Even the agencies of private sectors can provide services through the app. It requires the concerned government service provider agencies to accord high priority for service delivery through the app. 

"The service provider agencies shall be responsible for maintaining privacy details and information of users in accordance with the existing laws," reads the directive released by the government. The government - whose tenure is on wobbly political grounds -  has also constituted a seven-member technical committee led by a joint secretary of the MoCIT to address the technical issues of the app.

(SAM)