Nepal's tenth five-year plan has sunsetted in July 2007 and Nepal is lagging behind in achieving the number of telecenters to be established in rural areas of Nepal. In order to take the Telecentre movement forward, one of the biggest hindrances has been identified by the Second National Conference on Rural Telecentres, Swaabhimaan 2063 as the lack of political will and commitment at a time where the political situation was fluid and changing.

Hence, Forum for Information Technology Nepal (FIT Nepal) proposed and made a study tour of all the senior political leaders to India to observe and study on how India is setting its priorities to use ICT for development and focus all its delivery of services to its citizens through the rural telecenters. There have been attempts since last two years to use ICT for overall development in Nepal thru telecenters as well. The two national conferences on rural telecenters of Nepal were the outcome of the attempts. But due to the frequent changes in the government, the political scenario and ongoing civil unrest and security concerns; the attempts could not serve and match with the interest of the development of rural sectors of Nepal. Now, the political scenario of Nepal has seen a big change with an elected government in place to form a Constituent Assembly and where stability for at least the next 30 months can be foreseen where the Interim three year plan of the government will be implemented. All the senior and topmost leaders are in the driver's seat of the country where everyone is committing that they will create a 'New Nepal'. It was felt that that was the right time to raise the issues of development through telecenters so that all the policy makers and leaders hear and concentrate in this issue.

The study tour was organized by FIT Nepal from May 14-19, 2007 for the 27 senior political leaders delegation led by the Honorable Minister of Environment, Science and Technology which included parliamentarians of all the largest eight political parties, secretaries and other government officials.

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