Kathmandu. The government has accelerated the expansion of the government courier service with the goal of making public service delivery digital, systematic and citizen-friendly. The government has been making the traditional service system technology-friendly and easy by expanding the provision of delivering government documents like passport, driving license, educational certificates and other documents at the doorstep.

According to the Department of Postal Services, this service has been expanded to 60 districts across the country. The Department has stated that it has been gradually connecting the service system to digital medium with the objective of increasing the direct access of the citizens to the services provided by the government offices and reducing unnecessary hassles.

Director General of the Department, Manmaya Bhattarai Pangeni, said mechanisms have been mobilized up to the local level to make the government service delivery system modern and effective. “We are expanding our service with the aim of ending the situation of the citizens visiting the office time and again for general government documents. Despite limited resources, it is gradually being started in all the districts,” he said.

According to the Department, 29,758 passports have been transported to the concerned districts so far. Among them, 1,763 passports have been distributed at the doorsteps of the service recipients. According to the Department, the distribution process has become more systematic as the address of the service recipients has been collected in course of applying for passports at the District Administration Office.

A total of 475,908 driving licenses have been sent to the transport offices as part of an effort to make the service delivery in the transport sector digital and easy. Of them, 672 licenses were distributed at the doorsteps of service recipients, according to the department.

In an effort to make the government service delivery system integrated and multi-dimensional, the Department has also expanded collaboration with education and health sectors. So far, 260 academic certificates have been distributed and 539 samples have been supplied in collaboration with the National Public Health Laboratory. According to the Department, the service of laboratory sample transportation has begun from Surkhet, Banke and Kathmandu.

Preparations are underway to start the service of delivering SIM cards at home in collaboration with Nepal Telecom. Similarly, the transport of question papers, answer sheets and certificates has already started with the Mid-Western University while discussions are underway with Nepal Open University for the transportation of academic certificates.

The Department has also forwarded the work of system integration with various government bodies to make the service system more effective. A study committee has been formed to inter-link the system with the Department of Passport and efforts are underway for system integration with the Office of Financial Comptroller General. The Department has also forwarded the work of upgrading the postal code in the Postal Internal Tracking System (PITS).

Preparations are underway to expand the international courier service as well. The Department has stated that preparations are underway to expand the postal service to more countries by coordinating with the air service providing companies.

Although the government aims to transform the traditional postal service into a modern service delivery system, such service is still in the initial stage. However, the concept of delivering government services to the doorsteps is expected to make public service delivery more easy, efficient and technology-friendly.