The Government of Nepal is planning to expand the integrated broadcasting service by merging Nepal Television and Radio Nepal, and establishing the Public Service Broadcaster within the next two fiscal years.

This was announced in the policies and programs for the next fiscal year presented in the parliament by the government on Friday.

The government wants to advance the communication industry as a knowledge-based service industry and it also plans to pay attention to policy, legal and structural reforms for the promotion of freedom of press and expression and decent journalism.

The Press Council will be transformed into a Media Council with new legal arrangements to regulate the content published and broadcast by all media and an umbrella law related to mass media will be created.

President Ram Chandra Paudel said: “The access of common citizens to the use of information and technology will be increased. The use of information technology will be expanded in areas such as education, health, development, construction and service delivery.”