IT industry lauds govt on knowledge society

NEW DELHI, INDIA: The IT industry has lauded the Government’s announcement of taking a ‘knowledge society’ initiative.

Presenting the Union Budget 2008-09, Union finance minister, P Chidambaram said that the recommendations of the National Knowledge Commission, submitted from time to time, are under active consideration.

“Some of them have been incorporated in the Eleventh Plan. Government has accepted an important recommendation to inter-connect all knowledge institutions through an electronic digital broadband network. This will encourage sharing of resources and collaborative research. I propose to provide Rs 100 crore to the Ministry of Information and Technology for establishing the National Knowledge Network,” he announced.

“India has the opportunity to become a knowledge society. Government will establish one central university in each of the hitherto uncovered states,” he said.

“We propose to make a beginning in 2008-09 by establishing 16 central universities. Besides, we propose to set up three IITs in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan; two IISERs at Bhopal and Tiruvananthapuram; and two Schools of Planning and Architecture at Bhopal and Vijayawada. More institutes of higher education, as promised by the PM, will be established during the Eleventh Plan period,” Chidambaram added.

Manoj Chugh, president (India and SAARC) at EMC Corporation said that overall the budget focuses on enhancing long-term economic growth through stronger investments in social infrastructure.

“The setting up of additional IIT’s and a fund for improving employability of our workforce are positive initiatives from the Finance Minister to address the manpower needs of the technology sector,” he said.

"The emphasis on building India into a Knowledge Society through a series of proposals--setting up three new IITs, scholarships for innovation, R&D and a National Knowledge Network to connect Universities—are welcome moves", says Pradeep Gupta, Chairman of CyberMedia and the former chairman of Pan-IIT Alumni India.

"The significantly higher allocation for education and health sector and setting up of a new National Skill Development Mission offer a positive signal to the knowledge-based industries to contribute to the economic development of the country", says Kapil Dev Singh, Country Manager of IT intelligence and advisory firm IDC India.

"The Finance Minister has seized the task of skill development by the setting up an overarching National Skill Development Mission. The knowledge industry will be happy to play a major role in this humongous task," added Asoke K Laha, Managing Director and Chief Talent Officer of engineering software firm InterraIT at Noida Special Economic Zone.