Social Welfare Council is computerising its information system to offer online services.

The new system will enable foreign and domestic NGOs to submit their physical and financial progress reports, as well as apply for various services online.

Currently, the council has been receiving applications and progress reports in the form of hard copies.

The council plans to provide these services to foreign NGOs in the first phase. It also plans to add necessary features in its software system to monitor and evaluate the works of NGOs in the country.

The council officials said that the online system would also enable foreign NGOs to submit applications for general agreement, project agreement, visas for expatriates and tax exemption.

“Our target is to gradually move towards a paperless system,” said Durga Prasad Bhattarai, information officer at the council.

The council could have gone paperless a long ago. The Association of International NGOs in Nepal (AIN) had installed an online system at the council nearly 15 years ago. But the council at the time was unable to operate the system.

“The earlier system was designed to give information such as which foreign NGO is active in which district, its progress and fund details,” said Achyut Luitel, chairperson of AIN. “The software also gave a summarised version of activities of foreign NGOs.”

Besides installing the Rs 2 million software, the AIN had also provided some computers to the council, but they never served their purpose.

“We could not continue with the system due to server failure,” said Bhattarai.

For the installation of new software, the council has appointed a Kathmandu-based firm named—3Hammers.

The council said that the company would soon share the output regarding software installation. “We plan to provide services to the foreign NGOs by the end of the current fiscal year,” said Bhattarai.

Meanwhile, the non-governmental sector doubts if the system will be of any use as the government is drafting new laws to govern the non-governmental sector.

“There is uncertainty about whether the council will exist in the current form as the new law governing the non-governmental sector is being drafted,” said Luitel.