Minister Timilsina inspects Security Printing Center, directs faster licence printing
KAVREPALANCHOK: Minister for Communication and Information Technology Dr Bikram Timilsina visited the Security Printing Center in Panauti Municipality‑5, Kavre, today. After acquiring information on the latest status of driver's licence printing, Minister Timilsina announced that driver's licences will be printed and handed over within 24 hours of revenue payment after candidates pass the trial.
Minister Timilsina said the arrangement has been implemented from today as part of a government drive to improve public service delivery and to end long waits for licences even after passing the trial. He set a target to have all remaining licences printed by July 16.
“The tendency to sit on feasible work by calling it impossible will end. The problem of not receiving a licence for months after passing a trial will be resolved, and the process of printing, which can be completed within 24 hours of paying the revenue, will be implemented from today itself,” he said during the inspection.
The minister emphasised that the Security Printing Center should be developed as a significant state asset and a promising institution. He said making the centre effective has been his priority since taking charge of the ministry and criticised a past lack of willpower and readiness across agencies.
The minister expressed dissatisfaction that equipment bought with large investments had lain unused for years and instructed officials to make effective use of the centre’s available machines, including generators and other equipment worth about Rs 1 billion. He questioned why work could not be done in the past when machines that had been idle for three years are now operational, and printing is possible.
During the monitoring, the minister instructed concerned bodies to give high priority to citizens’ data security and stressed that the government will act in the people’s interest. He said the ministry is committed to keeping service‑seekers at the centre of its work and to listening to and addressing their problems.
Dr Timilsina added that improving access to mobile network and internet services and raising their quality across the country are ministry priorities. He set a target to bring all citizens to technological access within a year by addressing complaints about Nepal Telecom’s service.
Executive Director of the Security Printing Center Devraj Dhungana said the centre is preparing a business plan to make the organisation strong and sustainable. He said important documents such as passports, cheque books, smartcards, postage stamps and excise duty stickers could be printed at the centre in future, and that a detailed plan with an estimated Rs 8 billion budget has been submitted to the government.
Dhungana said the centre is currently printing around 40,000 licences a day and has set a target to print 1.2 million licences by April 25 and the remaining 1.7 million by July 16.
Lawmakers Madhu Kumar Chaulagain, Dr Ram Lama and Badan Kumar Bhandari, among others, were present during the visit.
Minister Timilsina also enquired about the centre’s physical infrastructure, machines and empty buildings and instructed officials to make full use of existing facilities.
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