| Username |
Post |
| Bhunte |
Posted
on 29-Sep-03 09:39 PM
I don't think this is a wise decision of the gov. Gov instead should promote or subsidize people and leaders for use of new technology that is beneficial to the country eventually. Govt should realize that we are now in 'information age' and info is power.
Cutting off the service to the leaders (whoever they represent) may be primarily on the ground of account issue, but not on a national interest. Nepal won't benefit by keeping our neta ji dumb with the outside world. What do u think folks?
Internet facilities to ex-MPs withdrawn
nepalnews.com mr Sept 30
The government has withdrawn internet facilities being providing to the members of parliament since four year, a published report said Tuesday.
The government has not cited any reason for the withdrawal, Rajdhani daily reported.
The facilities were initially provided to 205 MPs of Lower House and 60 MPs of Upper House. Following dissolution of the House of Representatives, the facility was limited only to the Upper House members.
There are 39 Upper House members at present. However, hardly half a dozen MPs know how to use internet, the newspaper said.
"The government decision is a step to weaken democracy," said an MP Urba Datta Panta.
"This is not the question of slashing facility," said officiating Chairman of National Assembly, the Upper House, Ramprit Paswan. "This is the question of government's motive."
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| Brook |
Posted
on 30-Sep-03 02:25 AM
I don't see anything wrong with it. It simply seems to be an earnest, and a much needed cost cutting measure.
Why continue to subsidize internet facilities the MPs? Those MPs who capitalized on the opportunity and made good use of the internet while it was free [FOR FOUR YEARS!] can, I am sure, afford to make alternative arrangements to make sure they are on top of their games.
Maybe they'll realize the premium on information and knowledge once they actually start paying for their ISPs!
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| garibmaila |
Posted
on 30-Sep-03 02:29 AM
all i have to say is that the government needs to give reason for everything it does!! that`s their duty and we desrve to know as citizens of nepal!
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| Bhunte |
Posted
on 30-Sep-03 02:55 AM
brooks,
i understand what u mean. but, in many instances they wont be using even if it is freely made available. suru ma ooni haru lai internet ko swad chakhayera palkaunu pani ta paryo ni. kaso?
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| Brook |
Posted
on 30-Sep-03 04:04 AM
Isn't 4 years a mighty long time to "chaakha-wo" them the flavour of the internet?
And if it is abundantly clear that they won't use it even if it's freely avaliable, why continue to sponsor their children and grandchildren's internet forages?
Garibmaila, that's true.
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| mickthesick |
Posted
on 30-Sep-03 04:53 PM
i don't think any kind of internet facility should be given to any member of parliament......
they are to be considered like other government employees and not like the future minister or primieminister or whatever.
why should they be given free internet facility??......when i was in nepal......i knew a few friends of mine who used the internet passwords of different ministerial offices to use internet at their homes......this is sick.....and misuse of government facilities ...
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| Bhunte |
Posted
on 30-Sep-03 09:04 PM
Birdars, let's think broadly. Since internet is a good source of education and knowledge, let our leaders reap the benefit from it and broden their knowledge and visin. Do we want them to remain in a village or district cocobean all the time? If leaders are educated and knowledgeble, janta will benefit much from them disproportionately. When internet service is bought for unlimited time in any given year, why not access them off the work?
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| Real Matrix |
Posted
on 30-Sep-03 11:08 PM
Hi Bhunte,
You are right to say that we are in an info age and info is power. But, As one of the IT professor said Technology is a double edged sword. It brings both benefits and costs, both opportunities and risks. The challenge is to maximize oppotunities and benefits and lower costs and risks. Look at it this way, the internet service provided by the government was for 205 lower house MPs and 60 upper house MPs. Out of this only half a dozen know how to use it. So the costs are very high for the amount of benefits being reaped in Nepal or by the MP's. With the economy being so weak we have to curtail each and every cost possible by analyzing it with cost/benefit analysis. If you look at the cost of internet in Nepal it is still considered a luxury item.
Thats just my opinion. Nothing personal hai bhunteji.
Real Matrix
Reloaded.
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| Brook |
Posted
on 01-Oct-03 12:01 AM
At the risk of coming across as propagating an argument just for the sake of arguing, I see a major incosistency in Bhunte's argument.
How can you say -
"but, in many instances they wont be using even if it is freely made available. "
in one breath and,
"Since internet is a good source of education and knowledge, let our leaders reap the benefit from it and broden their knowledge and visin. "
in another?
Look, we all know and agree on the secondary and tertiary benefits of internet-savvy, educated and knowledgeable leaders.
But AGREEING on the fact that in many instances most of these leaders aren't using it EVEN when it's provided free of cost [although I'm sure other members of the family, especially the younger ones aren't refraining from making the most out of these free installations], how can one be justifying this ridiculous subsidy that defies economic logic?
Those MPs who made genuine efforts to reap the benefits of the internet while it was provided free of cost during the curiously long gestation period of 4 years, I would hope, are hooked to the web by now.
I fail to see why they shouldn't start paying up now?
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| Bhunte |
Posted
on 01-Oct-03 12:43 AM
Brook,
Yes, in the beginning many of them may not be using the internet service, but repeated exposures will be needed for them to get induced to the use of such service for a societal benefit. The subsidy for this kind of services have definitely greater value to the society rather subsidizing them on the import of Pajero Jeeps and later arbitrizing the 'subidha' to profit motive marwari jyu.
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| Brook |
Posted
on 01-Oct-03 01:17 AM
1. The way you mention Pajero subsidies makes it seem like I am arguing in their favor. Let me clarify, I AM NOT.
2. Wouldn't you say 4 years is a long enough time for them to have gotten induced to the habit?
If you are saying we should remain on the experimental phase for as long as they live, then I rest my case.
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| Bhunte |
Posted
on 01-Oct-03 01:39 AM
Brook,
neumerically yes, but practically we need to allow some more years given their diverse/remote area backgrounds.
let's think different. how about massive consumption of internet service so that it will be cheaper like "dhara ko pani" where almost everyone would be able to afford it or if our leaders have to subcribe for service, they wont feel the cost if any!! for this nepal govt need to leverage in such a way that there will be more competion among suppliers,and consumers will ultimately reap the benefits.
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