Search for Common Ground-Nepal launched the country’s first governance mobile application, Singha Durbar, at the Next Growth Conclave 2017. The application aims to educate, aware, and inform the public on critical and important laws and policies on governance, a finger-tip version on federal structure, mobile readable version of Nepal’s constitution, and information on access to justice and legal services.

The application also includes a media player, where mobile users can watch the critically acclaimed Singha Durbar TV series, listen to ‘Gaun Gaun Ma Singha Durbar’ (Singha Durbar in Every Village), and Maithali language radio show ‘Sangor’ (Coming Together).

Speaking at the launch, Bhola Prasad Dahal, country director of Search for Common Ground-Nepal, said: “As Nepal morphs into a federal structure of governance, people’s meaningful participation in making elected representatives accountable and transparent is very important. Therefore, the mobile application not only educates people, but also inspires them to take up the role of watch-dog for good governance, through informed and evidence-based knowledge.” 

He also stressed that e-governance will be one of the core aspects of governance in Nepal, and the infusion of information technology in governance will not only support in access and delivery of government services, but also help in curbing corruption, reduce government operation costs, and strengthen transparency and accountability.