Kathmandu: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Gyanendra Bahadur Karki has directed Nepal Telecom to deliver pro-people, accessible and quality services.

In his address to the 18th anniversary of Nepal Telecom here today, Minister Karki directed the concerned authority to offer its services in a further modern and technology-friendly manner.

Minister Karki, also the spokesperson of the government, further said, “The Telecom has delivered its service even in far-flung areas during the natural disaster of any kind. It has to set its target to make the services further client-friendly”.

He lauded the contribution of Nepal Telecom (NTC) to the country’s economic and social sectors by complying with the government rules and regulations as well as the laws.

He stressed the need to immediately expand optical fiber so as to make the telecom a leading and responsible institution and asked its leadership to ensure high-speed internet reach in all local level governments across the country.

The minister noted that the telecom should gradually change its service packages to align with the need of the time and also pledged to extend cooperation from the ministry for the overall development and expansion of the company.

Ministry Secretary and Chairman of NTC Board of Directors, Dr Baikuntha Aryal also directed the Telecom employees to lay emphasis on expanding quality service delivery rather than increasing the number of clients.

“There is a problem of the network in mobile connection. It is important how quality service is being maintained while expanding its base. Quality should be enhanced along with expanding services”, he further noted.

The company that was established 18 years ago have a strength of over 22.7 million customers as of November 2021.

Similarly, the Acting Managing Director of Telecom, Pratibha Vaidya, said around 75 per cent population has access to one or another service of the telecom.

The total income of the company in the fiscal year 2021/22 is Rs 42.21 billion. The gross profit of the company is Rs 7.13 billion.

The company has generated a revenue of Rs 21.43 billion till 14 January 2022 in the current fiscal year, which is 5.75 per cent more in as compared to the progress made during the corresponding period in the last fiscal, the company sources shared.