The contest is expected to enhance public services delivery

Competition: A mobile apps development contest that will see three winners awarded Nu 200,000 each has been launched by the G2C (government to citizen) office.

Even the three runners up will receive a significant amount of Nu 50,000 each.

The contest is being held to attract and motivate those in the information technology sector or enthusiasts to exploit the popular mobile app platform to enhance public service delivery.

Entry is open to all Bhutanese citizens over age 18 and there are no prerequisite requirements like qualifications, experience or licenses.

There are three categories in which contestants will be able to submit their ideas and eventually, mobile apps: public safety, health and education, and youth and women.

“All the categories proposed in the contest are targeted for the general citizen so that there is maximum benefit,” G2C office head, Sonam P Thaye, said.

She added that besides enhancing public service delivery, the competition is being held to promote innovation and creativity for domestic mobile apps development.

“Although the mobile platform has immense potential for use in public service delivery especially to reach far flung areas of the country with over 628,300 mobile subscriptions, when it comes to mobile apps the market is still in its infant stage,” she said.

While there are few popular mobiles apps being used by Bhutanese like Druk Zakar, Bhutan Notice, and Bhutan News, among others, there are not any that are specific to service delivery, she pointed out. “As such we see a lot of opportunity in this regard.”

The submitted mobile apps will be judged on the following categories: user friendliness, aesthetic value, usefulness, functionality, creativity, among others.

The contest runs from May to the last week of July. The last date for submission is July 22.

The mobile apps development contest is being carried out in collaboration with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation under the Democratic Governance programme.

The G2C office is currently exploring and exploiting various platforms in a bid to improving public service delivery.

By Gyalsten K Dorji