The Constitution of Nepal promulgated on September 20, 2015 provides for the state restructuring with three levels of government—federal, provincial, and local—and assigns the devolution of power and authority closer to the citizens. Accordingly, the restructuring process established governments at three levels: one federal government, seven provincial governments, and 753 local levels (metropolitan city: 6, sub-metropolitan city: 11, municipality: 276, and rural municipality: 460). In the restructuring process, 753 local levels have been physically demarcated from 3,915 VDCs (before there were 3,915 Village Development Committees—VDCs—with 9 wards for each VDC) and its wards. The Local Government Operation Acts (LGOA) 2017 have clearly provisioned that local governments should develop and implement periodic, annual, strategic, sectoral, mid-, and long-term development plans. It is also provisioned that local government has to update its database before annual planning and budgeting each year. These provisions have made mandatory an updatable database for local governments.

For establishing uniformity in local database management systems, the federal government has approved Rural/Urban Profile Preparation Procedure 2022 for profile preparation at the local levels. Most of the LG have developed paper-based profiles based on the National Census of 2011. However, this process is insufficient to generate robust fresh data, while, at the same time, the policy provisions emphasize real-time updatable data management systems (LGOA 2017, Article 12, Sub Article 2 B).

In this context, a concept of Digital Profile, a systematic online database management system, has been introduced in Nepal, and its first piloting was carried out by the Community Development Program (CD/)/WFP, a complementary project of LGCDP executed by the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoFAGA). Subsequently, this piloting process has introduced the Local Government Profile Information Management System (https://digitalprofile.com.np), and Centre for Sustainable Development Studies (CSDS) Pvt. Ltd. has been promoting digital profiles through this system. Key features of this system are:

1. Data collected through Android Mobile using the questionnaire provided in Rural/Urban Profile Preparation Procedure, 2078.
2. Each household is recorded with GPS.
3. More than 125 tables are generated automatically.
4. The age of each individual increases by one every year.
5. Resource Mapping through a participatory way through google earth.
6. Demographic database can be updated through Vital Registration System (VRS) every day and Institutional data can be updated by local institutions yearly.
7. Report can access through Hard copy, Online database, Offline Mobile App.
8. Resource maps be displayed as interactive map on online.
9. Group SMS system in the emergency.

Our Contribution in Digital Profiling

We have been imparting our expertise in developing digital profiles at the local level since our establishment. 689,584 households covering 6,516,432 people were surveyed under this system from 96 local levels across the country. Out of 96, CSDS has contributed to 13 local levels, covering more than 150 thousand households. Following is the list of local levels and system links developed under the support of CSDS Pvt. Ltd.

1. Rubi valley Rural Municipality, Dhading (2543 HHs) rubivalleymun and Go to गाउँपालिका प्रोफाइल
2. Airawati Rural Municipality, Dailekh (4561 HHs) airawatimun and Go to विद्युतीय सुशासन सेव/गाउँपालिका प्रोफाइल
3. Chichila Rural Municipality, Sankhuwasabha (1627 HHs) chichila and Go to  डिजिटल प्रोफाइल
4. Sanibheri Rural Municipality, Rukum - West (5277 HHs) sanibheri and Go to विद्युतीय सुशासन सेव/ सानीभेरी डिजिटल प्रोफाइल
5. Thatikandh Rural Municipality, Dailekh (3985 HHs) Thantikandhmun and Go to गाउँपालिका प्रोफाइल
6. Kshireswornath Municipality, Dhanusha (10,125 HHs) kshireshwornath and Go to  डिजिटल प्रोफाइल
7. Koshi Rural Municipality, Sunsari (8,433 HHs) koshimun and Go to  डिजिटल प्रोफाइल
8. Konjyosom Rural Municipality, Lalitpur (2,593 HHs) konjyosom and Go to  डिजिटल प्रोफाइल
9. Madi Municipality, Sankhuwasabha (3216 HHs) madimun.gov.np and Go to डिजिटल प्रोफाइल
10. Khandbari Municipality, Sankhuwasabha (7441 HHs) khandbarimun.gov.np and Go to डिजिटल प्रोफाइल
11. Pacharauta Municipality, Bara (7310 HHs) pachrautamun.gov.np and Go to डिजिटल प्रोफाइल
12. Hanumannagar Kankalini Municipality, Saptari (9871 HHs) hanumannagaryoginimaimun.gov.np/en and Go to Digital Profile
13. Sukhipur Municipality, Siraha (8587 HHs) sukhipurmun.gov.np and Go to Digital Profile
14. Dhanauji RM, Dhanusa (4587 HHs) dhanaujimun.gov.np and Go to डिजिटल प्रोफाइल
15. Faktaglung RM, Taplejung (2711 HHs) phaktanglungmun.gov.np and Go to डिजिटल प्रोफाइल
16. Dullu Municipality, Dailekh (8986 HHs) dullumun.gov.np and Go to डिजिटल प्रोफाइल
17. Sidingwa RM, Taplejung (2510 HHs) sidingbamun.gov.np and Go to डिजिटल प्रोफाइल
18. Chhinnamasta RM, Saptari (5210 HHs) chhinnamastamun.gov.np and Go to विधुतीय सुशासन सेवा and डिजिटल प्रोफाइल
19. Kamala Municipality, Dhanusa (8587 HHs) kamalamun.gov.np and Go to डिजिटल प्रोफाइल
20. Bishnu Rural Municipality, Sarlahi (3216 HHs) bishnumun.gov.np and Go to डिजिटल प्रोफाइल
21. Itahari Sub-Metropolitancity, Sunsari (35693 HHs) itaharimun.gov.np and Go to डिजिटल प्रोफाइल

To see the report in mobile app please go to Play store >Local Govt Profile >Install >Open >Select Province: 1, District: Shankhuwasabha, Local Level: Madi Municipality, for example.