Most of the projects funded by RTDF delayed

Majority of the projects funded by the Rural Telecommunication Development Fund (RTDF) are unlikely to meet the deadline. Even as separate agreements to carry out projects worth NPR 9 billion were reached with Nepal Telecom (NT), United Telecom Limited (UTL) and Smart Telecom, no project has made progress as per condition set in the agreement.

Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) on September 28, 2016, had signed an agreement with NT to expand optical fiber network in 32 districts along the Mid-Hill Highway with investment of around NPR 4.47 billion. More than half of the time allocated to complete the project has already passed, however; NT has failed to initiate any work to implement the project.