Basics first

The digital push in Karnali province shows a disconnect between policy-making and people.

Talk of irony! In a bid to turn Karnali Province, Nepal’s remotest, into the first fully digital province, authorities there initiated an ambitious ‘Digital Karnali’ campaign in January 2018. Since, the provincial government has made it a priority and poured a handsome sum into it each fiscal year. For this year alone, Rs1.5 million has been set aside, with the upcoming budget set to prioritise it. Through digitalisation, they aim to make government services easier, transparent and cost-effective. However, the project has not seen the light of day as its master plan is still in limbo. According to the Province Financial Comptroller Office, around Rs130 million set aside for Digital Karnali programmes hasn’t been used. Most notably, this campaign has garnered extensive criticism from local officials and citizens alike, as most of Karnali’s rural areas lack basic infrastructure and connectivity such as electricity, telephone and internet access.