Communications minister Kharel pledges government support to Ncell

KATHMANDU: Minister for Communications and Information Technology Jagdish Kharel visited the Ncell Integrated Data Centre (IDC) in Nakkhu, Lalitpur, today and pledged government support.

Minister Kharel was welcomed by Ncell Chairperson Satish Lal Acharya, Chief Executive Officer Michael Foley and other members of the executive management team, who then briefed him on Ncell’s services, its contribution to the economy and the impact of the recent Gen-Z protests.

Ncell said it had suffered losses of around Rs 650 million after the protests caused severe damage to several facilities, including its head office, Ncell ICON in Kathmandu.

Minister Kharel appreciated Ncell’s role in developing the telecommunications sector and its contribution to the national economy. He assured the company of government support and urged Ncell to expand services in the Everest region and ensure quality, affordable service in rural areas.

“I am saddened by the loss of around Rs 650 million caused to Ncell during the Gen-Z protest. The government is committed to creating an environment conducive to investment in Nepal, especially foreign direct investment (FDI). We should promote investment. The government is with Ncell,” Minister Kharel said. He also welcomed Ncell’s plan to launch a Gen-Z Pack for students and the company’s initiative to set up a fund to provide scholarships to 100 students annually.

On the occasion, CEO Foley announced that Ncell would provide nationwide scholarships for 100 students appearing in the Secondary Education Examination (SEE) each year and had committed a fund of Rs 10 million for the initiative. “In line with the Ministry of Communications, Information and Technology’s suggestion, and our commitment to making services easily accessible to youth, we are soon launching a Gen Z Pack for students to address their communication service requirements,” he said.

Foley said Ncell remained committed to serving Nepal with renewed determination and resilience and supported the government’s aspiration of building a Digital Nepal. He described the Ncell IDC as a major backbone of the digitalisation drive and said every connection the company built empowered individuals, businesses and communities.

The release said Ncell had been part of Nepal’s ICT transformation for more than 20 years, contributing to job creation and economic growth. As of fiscal year 2024/25, the company had contributed nearly Rs 360 billion in taxes and fees and supported around 100,000 jobs directly and indirectly. Through the Ncell Foundation and CSR initiatives, the company had invested more than Rs 2 billion in social projects focused on education, environment and health, the release added.