The information and communication technology (ICT) sector in the country became one of the most important sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Working from home, online education and learning during lockdowns have encouraged people to use technologies like never before.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the government enforcing two lockdowns ranging from three weeks to six weeks to contain the spread of the virus helped the country to enhance the use of ICT.
It was also an opportunity to improve ICT services as the use and demand for better services were felt.
“Another challenge we had during the pandemic was the quality of data when a lot of agencies come up and want to collect information or make a decision or make some planning in combating the pandemic, the quality of data was one of the biggest issues we faced,” said Sonam Penjor, the Deputy Chief ICT officer with the Ministry of Information and Communication.
As the first case of the virus emerged in the country, schools and learning institutions were closed indefinitely and no sooner online education started with lessons delivered on televisions. Office goers worked from home with their daily office work done via the internet. Apart from education, other businesses had to continue on a new mode too, many institutions and offices communicated virtually, various meetings within the country and other needed connections were made online with the use of technology via the internet such as Zoom and Google Meet. Even TV reports and programmes were made online too like the rest of the world.
The government had to keep track of the movement of the people to trace contacts of the COVID cases. The country’s IT experts came together and developed a mobile app, the Druk Trace which made people scan QR codes put up on all public places including all business entities.
The Druk trace was followed by the online application for travellers commuting from one dzongkhag to another. The Check Post Management System (CPMS) has made it easier to record and track the movement of people on the road anywhere within the country.
The country also experienced an increase in the use of electronic money transactions using mobile phones.
However, the development of ICT in the country still sees challenges and to catch up with the speed at which other nations are moving. Bhutan needs to reboot and invest time and resources in ICT development.
“Internet in Bhutan is routed from Phuentshogling and Gelegphu, both these cables go through Siliguri and in case there is something happening in Siliguri like natural disaster then both these cables will be cut off and then there will be no internet access in Bhutan. Now in case, we have the third gateway from Samdrup Jongkhar going via India to Bangladesh and even if the cables in Siliguri get cut off then we can get internet from the other cable,” said Tshering Cigay Dorji (PhD), the CEO of the Thimphu Techpark.
Presently Bhutan has made much use of ICT in health, education and government to citizen (G2C) services. It is and has become very important that people benefit from ICT and the government has made the development of ICT a priority in the development plans for the country and the people.
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Kinzang Yeshey/Sonam Tobgay
