Nepal drafts national open data plan amidst growing trend
By GovInsider
The country’s national action plan is inspired by the increasing use of open data in many other countries.
The National Information Commission (NIC) of Nepal has developed a national action plan on open government data, it has announced. Representatives from NIC handed over the plan to the Nepali Prime Minister last week, The Himalayan Times reported.
The action plan was based on a study of the growing use of open data by governments around the world.
NIC believes that open government data emphasises the right of citizens to have access to information, and also strengthens innovation, transparency and accountability, according to the report.
A massive earthquake in 2015 has already triggered the public release of some government data. In the months after the disaster, the government collected data on the level of damage to over a million houses.
The public can now access an anonymised version of some of this data - albeit for a fee. Elsewhere in Asia, countries are launching their own open data portals, with datasets open to public use.
Indonesia launched its open data portal in 2014 as part of efforts to establish a more open. inclusive and transparent government.
For the same reasons, the Philippines launched its own open data portal in the same year. Bhutan is also opening up its government to better connect with remote communities across the country.