ADB to fund for bridging digital divide in India

BANGALORE: Manila based Asian Development Bank (ADB) has called in for a

regional roundtable on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in India

to eradicate poverty and bridge the digital divide. Partnering ADB in its effort

is the ministry of IT of Government of India, Department of IT of Government of

Karnataka and the Institute for Social and Economic Change in organizing the

meet.

While ADB will offer funds, the rest of them will create an awareness to

identify the issues to be addressed by the government and private sectors for

better results. Annually ADB has earmarked $6 billion for this purpose. On July

31, 2001, Japan Fund for Information and Communication Technology (JFICT)

promoted by the Japanese government has offered $ 30 million on grant basis for

ICT related activities identified by the ADB. However no specific funds were

earmarked for India.

ADB Program Department (West) director Yoshihiro Iwasaki in his keynote

address said, "India particularly Bangalore, has shown to the world that

developing country can not only hold its own but even achieve a competitive edge

over developed countries in the field of Information and Communication

Technology. India's experience in the ICT field will be utilized and leveraged

to address issues of the country to help reduce poverty and bridge the digital

divide."

The topics of discussion in the meet include telecom infrastructure, public

private partnership, human resource development, e-health, e-education,

development of human resources for ICT, e-government, digital dividends, Cyber

laws and emerging IT opportunities. The ADB has already aligned with the state

of Madhya Pradesh and Kerala and for helping enhance their benefits of ICT reach

to the masses and looks out for partnerships with other states.

The meet also marked the sharing of ideas by the IT savvy Chief Ministers of

Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Chandra Babu Naidu was all praises for developing

countries like Singapore, Malyasia, Hong Kong and also Israel. He pointed out

facts how these governments are making efforts to induce technological

revolution in the country. He also admitted to the fact that his state is

undergoing similar revolutions to be a connected state, which enables

e-governance, e-health, e-education.

However his counterpart in Karnataka, SM Krishna was marketing India Inc,

particularly Bangalore and his other adopted cities in the state for the IT

revolution. From Mysore Maharaja's effort to set up Indian Institute of Science

in Bangalore by inviting the Tatas to the present state of Craig Barrett's

initiative to educate all teachers in the state, Bangalore has been the chosen

destination for one and all.