Harnessing ICTs for Local Development - United...
Transcript of Harnessing ICTs for Local Development - United...
NepalNepal::
China
India
N
Mountain District
Hill District
Terai District
country of Mount Everest and birthplace of Lord Buddha
Rural-Urban Partnership Programme(RUPP)
Ministry of Local Development, HMG/Nepal & UNDPIn Coordination with NPC & MPPW of HMG/Nepal
(NEP/01/020)
Harnessing ICTs for local development: The case of RUPP in Nepal
The Relative Position of Village and Markets in the The Relative Position of Village and Markets in the Urban HierarchyUrban Hierarchy
NepalNepal::
China
India
N
58 municipalities including 12 partner municipalities, 58 municipalities including 12 partner municipalities, 5 replicating municipalities and 33 RMCs5 replicating municipalities and 33 RMCs
MunicipalityPartner MunicipalityReplicating MunicipalityRural Market Centers (RMC)
2 RMC
3 RMC
2 RMC
3 RMC
RMC
2 RMC
2 RMC
5 RMC
2 RMC
4 RMC
3 RMC
2 RMC
3 RMC
Enterprise Development Concept
Community SavingTole/Lane Organization
Information System
Social Capital &
Empowerment
Enterprise Management
Training
Technology &
Skill Development
Equity Generation Credit
Enterprise Development
Poverty Alleviation
LE FA RLL
Linkage Development
Urban Community Mobilization ProcessUrban Community Mobilization Process
RUPPRUPP’’s Strategy in the Use of ICTs Strategy in the Use of ICT
Facilitate Good Urban Governance
(e-Governance)
Supplement to Poverty Alleviation activities
(e-Commerce – B2B)
E-Governance Project ContextRUPP, while in the process of help strengthen good governance realized that it would be effective to supplement its effort with the application of ICT, which can make a significant contribution to the achievement of good governance goals, where already some strides in the direction of good governance have taken place such as:
Adoption of Participating Planning Process
Establishment of well-maintained Urban Information Center as a data bank and information dissemination center to its citizens
ContinueContinue……………………
E-Governance Project Context
Municipalities fulfilling its statutory obligation of making its annual financial transaction public
Adoption of gender as a cross cutting issue and have been adhering to gender friendly policies and strategies
Publication of Citizen Charter
Upliftment of life of both under-privileged group and urban ultra poor by conducting Entrepreneurship Development Programme
Conceptualization of e-Governance
B2B e-Commerce Project Context
Poverty alleviation is one of the focused
components of RUPP since the initiation of the
Programme
Creation of 4,241 Linkage Enterprises to date to
address poverty reduction
Dissemination of daily Agri price Information of
around 150 agricultural commodities from/in
major markets of Nepal jointly with AEC/FNCCI
and Department of Agriculture ContinueContinue……………………
B2B e-Commerce Project Context
Realizing the importance and power of ICT in
bringing people and business community together
and the borderless concept introduced by ICT in
the country like Nepal where the geographical area
is ranging from Terai to Mountains and to high
Himalayas, RUPP brought the concept of B2B e-
Commerce.
Major Objectives of e-Governance Initiative
To increase citizen participation in urban governance
To increase efficiency and efficacy of services delivered by the municipalities by introducing a range of on-line services
To enhance transparency in the working of local
government outfits – specifically the municipalities
To provide expanded access to information resources to facilitate bottom-up, citizen centric urban planning
Major Objectives of B2B e-Commerce Initiative
To expand market access to enterprises located in
the municipalities and VDCs (Rural Areas) by
creating a virtual trading hub through ICT’s
To enhance the prospects of regional trade linkages
e-Governance Pre Project Activities
RUPP shared the concept with different stake holders (Partner municipalities, CCIs, TLOs, civil societies, NGO/INGOs, MLD/HMGN) to ensure their support
Prepared “Pre Feasibility cum Need Assessment Report” on how the ICT can be used to improve the existing system, urban service delivery and participation of public in planning and decision making process
e-Governance Project Implementation Activities
Finalized the content of e-Governance after a careful review of Government Policies, LSGA, Pre Feasibility cum Need Assessment Report, other supporting documents and suggestions received from different stakeholders
Developed portal and registered a standard domain name www.bharatpurmun.org.np (changes with the name of municipality)
Mobilized University, Institutions and Campuses of Nepal to use IT students for awareness creating activities Continue………Continue………
Incorporated awareness creation on e-Governance in Community Mobilization Process
Hosted draft version of e-Governance Portal to some time to get feedback and suggestions from the public and different stakeholders
Several workshops/orientations organized with municipal staff/authorities, line agencies, NGO/INGOs, TLOs, civil societies, private sectors-CCIs, Cyber Cafes, ISPs, IT companies with the dual objectives of orienting them and also ensuring their comments and suggestions are well addressed
Continue………Continue………
e-Governance Project Implementation Activities
Established e-Governance Units in the municipality and some ward offices
Provided training to staffs for the operation, modification, update and maintenance of e-Governance Portal
Approval of e-Governance directive by the Municipal Board
Launching of e-Governance
e-Governance Project Implementation Activities
Monitoring the use and effectiveness
Study for the System Analysis on the
Automation of Internal Process of the municipality
Replication of same e-Governance module in
Hetauda and in process in 6 other municipalities
e-Governance Post Project Activities
B2B e-Commerce Pre Project Activities
RUPP shared the concept with AEC/FNCCI
Jointly organized workshop to share concept with CCIs, other private sectors, partner municipalities, 33 RMCs, LEs, Cyber Cafes and ISPs to ensure their support
Hosting of Agri Price web site www.AgriPriceNepal.com
B2B e-Commerce Project Implementation Activities
Contents were developed on the basis of suggestions received from the workshop
Prototype was presented to the stakeholders and finalized according to the suggestions received
Developed B2B e-Commerce web site using local expertise
Mobilized University, Institutions and Campuses of Nepal to use IT students for awareness creation activities
Continue…………Continue…………
Mobilized Cyber Cafes on B2B e-Commerce service delivery
Incorporated awareness creation on B2B e-Commerce in Community Mobilization Process
Several orientations provided to CCIs, LEs, other business community, traders, farmers, Cyber Cafes, ISPs, partner municipalities, line agencies, NGO/INGOs, TLOs, civil societies
Continue…………Continue…………
B2B e-Commerce Project Implementation Activities
Provided orientation training on the operation, maintenance, update and dissemination of business/technology information to CCI staffs
Finally, hosted B2B e-Commerce web site www.b2b.com.np to open the door of business community in the cyber world
B2B e-Commerce Project Implementation Activities
Increase number of participating CCI
Monitoring the use and effectiveness
Establish Rural Tele Center in RMCs and B2B
Units in CCIs
B2B e-Commerce Post Project Activities
Assessment of performance and key Assessment of performance and key results of the initiativesresults of the initiatives
ee--Governance:Governance:
Local government outfits have woken up to the prospects of augmenting basic tenets of good urban governance specially transparency, participation, equity and accountability through digital means
Provided increased access to information to ensure right to information to public granted by the Constitution of Nepal in municipalities where such initiatives have been implemented
Continue…………Continue…………
Assessment of performance and key Assessment of performance and key results of the initiativesresults of the initiatives
Improvement in urban service delivery within citizen-centric framework by improving efficiency of municipal administration facilitate bottom-up, citizen centric urban planning in line
Promotion of ICT culture among key stakeholders and municipal citizenry
Assessment of performance and key Assessment of performance and key results of the initiativesresults of the initiatives
B2B eB2B e--Commerce:Commerce:
Exposed local entrepreneurs in municipalities and VDCs to the potential of ICTs
Contrary to popular assumptions, the B2B initiative has proved that digitally supported B2B business models can be scaled down to suit small and micro-entrepreneurs
Has provided opportunities for articulating and strengthening regional linkages
Expanded access to market and customer base
Problems EncounteredProblems EncounteredLow penetration ofLow penetration of ICTsICTs – teledensity, PC ownership and
internet/email connectivity is currently extremely low in the municipalities and RMC’s where the programme has been implemented. For example, teledensity is 1/1000 in rural areas
Relative novelty of the conceptRelative novelty of the concept – The concept of ICT based implementation as a means of extending outreach of urban governance services and facilitating trade linkages among various spatial units is relatively new concept for the stakeholders at the local level
Capacity gap of local institutionsCapacity gap of local institutions - Local institutions including municipalities, Village Development Committees and local chapters Chambers of Commerce and Industries lack capacity to see through the successful implementation of the project. This underscored the need to launch capacity development initiative for these institutions
Lessons Learned So Far
Awareness creation is crucial for the success of the Programme
Community participation is possible even though they do not own a PC
The role of cyber-café becomes very important under such situation
Private sector can immensely supplement the efforts
Continue…………Continue…………
Lessons Learned So Far
Availability of local ISP provider reduces the costs while their involvement from the inception of the project helped toward successful implementation
Citizens are very receptive to the Programme
Top Level Management is more receptive to the Programme than lower or middle management