Industry seeks steps to address hardware, digital divide

NEW DELHI: A group on hardware headed by Cisco Systems’ India and SAARC

region president Manoj Chugh has urged the government to clarify on the

effective date of ITA — whether it is 2003 or 2005. The group also addressed

the development of the hardware sector from two aspects -- demand and supply.

Industry captains have been having interactive sessions to discuss various

issues plaguing the industry, the results of which will be handed over to Pramod

Mahajan, minister of IT and Communications.

On the demand side, the industry urged the government to resort to three per

cent spending as per the budget allocation and bring hardware duties to nil on

the supply side. At the same time the group urged the government to spend in a

linear manner. Another step the group suggested to fuel demand was to allow

exemption under Section 80G to corporates who donate old computers to charitable

organizations.

Other steps suggested on hardware were to treat hardware manufacturing

facilities as export oriented zones and extend the same facilities there.

"There should be a long term strategy by the government in collaboration

with the industry to identify suitable local products and technologies and

provide funds to support them," the group voiced.

The panel on digital divide was headed by Rajendra Pawar, chairman, NIIT. The

recommendations by this group to address the issue were hinged on education,

infrastructure and financial support. The group recommended that for a few

years, the total funds available to the government like the consolidated fund

and the USO be diverted towards the cause of reducing the cost of access to IT.

"At the same time efforts have to be made to reduce the cost of access

device. Here the government should facilitate the import of second hand

computers, implement the zero duty regime and promote local indigenous

technologies for access devices," the group said, adding that the

government would have to develop suitable micro-credit systems on the lines of

NABARD that would enable citizens to access funds easily.

One of the recommendations were that Education should be stepped up in a big

way and along with the government's recent Bill on right to education, computer

literacy be integrated into the school curriculum from the primary school level.

The group also pointed out the importance of having a time-frame to train school

teachers on computer usage and to seek the active involvement of NGOs to help in

the dissemination of IT to the masses.