Study of the Development of Ict in the Kingdom of Bhutan
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STUDY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF ICT IN THE KINGDOM OF BHUTAN September, 2001 By Gopi Pradhan e-mail: gopi aiuj.ac.jp TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..........................................................................................................................3 METHOD OF STUDY CHAPTER 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY......................................................................................5 CHAPTER 2 COUNTRY PROFILE .............................................................................................7 CHAPTER 3 ICT POLICY ..........................................................................................................10 SUMMARY OF ICT POLICY ................................................................... 10 COOPERATION AND RESEARCH ............................................................ 12 CHAPTER 4 DRAFT ICT MASTER PLAN - 2000 ...................................................................13 BACKGROUND ...................................................................................... 13 PROGRAMS ........................................................................................... 15 CHAPTER 5 GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS, GNH ............................................................17 STRATEGY ............................................................................................ 18 INTERNET ............................................................................................. 18 CHAPTER 6 ICT REGULATORS (BTA AND DIT) .................................................................20 BHUTAN TELECOM AUTHORITY ........................................................... 20 DIVISION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ........................................... 21 CHAPTER 7 BHUTAN TELECOM AND DRUKNET .............................................................23 BHUTAN TELECOM ............................................................................... 23 RURAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS ........................................................... 26 DRUKNET ............................................................................................. 27 GROWTH OF DRUKNET ......................................................................... 28 CHAPTER 8 COMMUNITY AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT ...............................................35 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF DISTRICTS ....................................... 35 WOMEN IN BHUTAN ............................................................................. 37 ICT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ................................................ 37 CHAPTER 9 EDUCATION SECTOR ........................................................................................39 THE ORGANIZATION ............................................................................ 39 ICT IN EDUCATION .............................................................................. 43 SWOT ANALYSIS ................................................................................ 45 ICT MASTER PLAN FOR EDUCATION ................................................... 46 EMPLOYMENT ISSUES ........................................................................... 48 CHAPTER 10 HEALTH SECTOR ................................................................................................50 TELEMEDICINE - HEALTH TELEMATICS ............................................... 51 SWOT ANALYSIS ................................................................................ 53 HEALTH ICT STRATEGY ...................................................................... 53 STUDY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF ICT IN BHUTAN, IDRC, 2001 1 CHAPTER 11 RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES ...........................................................57 ORGANIZATION .................................................................................... 57 SECTOR STRATEGIES ............................................................................ 57 ICT AND THE RNR SECTOR ................................................................. 58 CHAPTER 12 PRIVATE SECTOR ...............................................................................................62 ICT OBJECTIVES .................................................................................. 62 ICT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR ........................................................... 63 SWOT ANALYSIS ................................................................................ 66 ICT AND THE TOURISM SECTOR .......................................................... 67 ICT AND POSTAL SERVICES ................................................................. 68 CHAPTER 13 DONOR AGENCIES .............................................................................................70 UNDP .................................................................................................. 70 DANIDA ............................................................................................. 71 ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK, ADB ..................................................... 71 JAPAN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY, JICA ....................... 71 CHAPTER 14 TELECENTRE - JAKAR (MCT) ........................................................................73 BACKGROUND ...................................................................................... 73 ANALYSIS OF PERFORMANCE ............................................................... 76 INTERNET TRAINING AND PROMOTION SCHEME .................................. 78 FREE INTERNET PROMOTION SURVEY ANALYSIS .................................. 78 CHAPTER 15 CONSTRAINTS .....................................................................................................81 CONSTRAINTS IN OVERALL DEVELOPMENT ......................................... 81 CONSTRAINTS IN ICT DEVELOPMENT .................................................. 81 CHAPTER 16 SECTOR SURVEY ANALYSIS ...........................................................................86 BACKGROUND ...................................................................................... 86 ANALYSIS OF ANSWERS AND FEEDBACK ............................................. 86 CHAPTER 17 ANALYSIS OF DRUKNET CUSTOMER SURVEY .........................................91 BACKGROUND ...................................................................................... 91 GENERAL ACCOUNT RESPONSES ......................................................... 91 FEEDBACKS ON DEVELOPMENT ISSUES ................................................ 93 CHAPTER 18 POLICY IMPLICATIONS ...................................................................................98 CHAPTER 19 RECOMMENDATIONS .....................................................................................100 SECTOR LEVEL ................................................................................... 100 MINISTRY LEVEL ................................................................................ 101 NATIONAL LEVEL .............................................................................. 101 ANNEXURES STUDY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF ICT IN BHUTAN, IDRC, 2001 2 I would like to thank the International Development Research Centre, IDRC, Canada in general and Mr. Renald Lafond and Dr. Bo Gorransson in particular for the opportunity given to me to carry out this study. Their advice and support were the major factors that contributed to the completion of this report. I would also like to thank Mr. Thinley Dorji, Director, Bhutan Telecom Authority for the guidance and cooperation extended to me. I could get tremendous insight into the Royal Government's ICT policies from him. In addition, I would like to thank the following people for their contributions towards this ICT study. 1. Hon'ble Secretary, Ministry of Health and Education 2. Dasho Daw Dem, Secretary, NWAB 3. Dasho Meghraj Gurung, Managing Director, Bhutan Post 4. Resident Representative, WHO 5. Achuyt Bhandari, Director General, Trade Division 6. General Secretary, Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industries 7. Sangey Tenzing, Managing Director, Bhutan Telecom 8. Atsuko Okuda, Programme Officer, UNDP 9. Daw Tenzin, Secretary, Planning Commission 10. Sonam Rinchen, Head of Policy and Planning Division, MoC 11. Sangay Wangchuk, Head of DIT 12. Choeki Wangmo, UNFPA 13. Dhanraj Subba, Dy. Director, Department of Industries 14. IT Specialist, Ministry of Agriculture 15. Yangka, Joint Director, Education Division 16. Kinley Penjore, Planning Officer, Health Division 17. Ganga R. Sharma, Manager, Druknet 18. Pushpa Mani Pradhan, Manager, Development, Bhutan Telecom 19. Tashi Chewang, Manager, Operations, Bhutan Telecom 20. Dorchu Dukpa, MCT, Jakar 21. Tenzin Lekphel, Employment and Labor Division 22. Sonam Phuntsho, Network Network Engineer, Bhutan Telecom 23. Tek Bahadur Chettri, DANIDA, Thimphu 24. Shyam Basnet, Peljorkhang Enterprise 25. Umesh Pradhan, Infotech STUDY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF ICT IN BHUTAN, IDRC, 2001 3 it i The study was carried out over a period of 3 months starting 26th of June 2001. The base office location for the study was in Druknet, Thimphu. However, due to the nature of study, frequent traveling was made to different locations in the country. These were required to discuss and find out first hand views and comments on ICT development in the country. Considerable time was spent in Jakar to make an indepth study of the Multipurpose Community Telecentre. On-line feedback and comments survey was carried out for more than 100 Druknet customers. Survey questionnaires were distributed to more than 80 sector heads for their views and feedback