Bridge the digital divide: Kalam

BANGALORE: Despite the slowdown and post September 11 attacks, this year’s Bangalore IT.com has managed to better the last year’s event by adding more conferences and attracting more countries and foreign delegates.

Among the foreign delegates are the IT and Telecommunication Minister of Mauritius and the UK Minister of E-commerce and Competitiveness, Stephen Timms. Both the visiting ministers welcomed the Indian government and IT companies for bilateral trade in the Information Technology sector.

The event has seven conferences spread across five days that would be participated by more than 250 companies as exhibitors and more as participants in the conferences.

Inaugurating the event, Kalam stressed on "bridging the digital divide across the country and harnessing technology for networking the country’s resources."

"Our software industry has to be made more robust and less fragile, if it has to withstand events like the September 11, especially if it is impacting the country’s economy and growth, " added.

Coinciding the inauguration the Union minister for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, Ananth Kumar, said, "To promote Karnataka as a knowledge hub, the Vidya Vahini project was to take computer literacy to remote schools in the state.

In that line the Belgaum has been identified as the pilot district, where 20 schools have been identified to make it computer literate, complete with the necessary infrastructure. In the presence of the Karnataka chief minister, SM Krishna, I also propose Gnana Vahini for the universities."

In the course of the entire event, various conferences would be held focusing on areas like; IT for the common man, Customer centricity, BPO opportunities, career on bio-technology, entrepreneurial opportunities, etc. The exhibition is also offering a platform for companies and corporates to display their products, services and offerings.