Below are specific sectoral strategies outlined within this document to achieve the ICT policy objectives:

Policy

Activities in the policy area will concentrate on rendering government more inclusive, transparent, and efficient; implementing a modern regulatory and legal framework; fortifying regulatory and policy bodies; and exploring methods of funding ICT and reducing service costs.

ICT will make government more efficient and inclusive through the establishment of policies on inter-agency information-sharing, ICT security, and free and open source software, the establishment of ICT units in each ministry, the delivery of public services through ICT, and greater online access to government reports and communications. A modern regulatory environment will be introduced by 2007, and will be based upon the introduction, finalisation, and enforcement of legislation relating to access to information and the ICT industry. The existing policy and regulatory bodies will be strengthened to ensure they remain relevant and effective in the new ICT regulatory and policy environment. An investigation into reducing ICT funding and access costs will focus on the development of a National ICT Infrastructure Fund, and an examination of how costs associated with ICT software, hardware and services could be reduced.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure activities centre around two strategies: the implementation of a competitive and liberalised infrastructure market, and the development of an appropriate, sustainable, secure and affordable ICT infrastructure throughout the country. This first strategy will involve licensing of new operators and service providers, establishing incentives for ICT businesses, and creating an infrastructure provider coordination body. The second strategy necessitates the development of a Bhutan-wide backbone infrastructure, a plan for countrywide connectivity, the establishment of a government-wide intranet and telecentres, and the deployment of appropriate technologies.

Human Capacity

Activities in this area aim to ensure awareness of ICT and the development of appropriate ICT skills at all levels to provide a boost to the domestic ICT industry. Strategies to achieve this goal include the prioritisation of ICT skills in recruitment for the public and private sector; the establishment of an ICT “Center of Excellence” through which partnerships with educational and international institutions will be formed and research and development carried out; the expansion of ICT institutes and training opportunities to all regions; the integration of ICT into basic education; and the implementation of a national awareness-raising campaign of the benefits of ICT.

Content and Applications

These activities aim at allowing Bhutan full access to the benefits of ICT with the goal of furthering the country’s development. Strategies include establishing a legal and regulatory framework for e-business, leveraging ICT to preserve Bhutan’s cultural heritage, enhancing the quality and accessibility of online education and health services, extending access to Bhutanese media in real-time, and supporting good governance through such measures as the establishment of data interoperability standards and an online presence for all ministries.

Enterprise

The enterprise policy focuses on increasing the competency level of the ICT private sector, outsourcing government ICT work to provide local business opportunities, facilitating access to finance mechanisms for ICT-oriented businesses, exploring the potential for the export of ICT services, and promoting the integration of ICT applications into non-ICT businesses.