The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Extend rural Net connectivity to all districts: Minister

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 27, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Extend rural Net connectivity to all districts: Minister

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUVANNAMALAI, JULY 26. The Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Dayanidhi Maran, today directed officials of the Departments of Telecommunications and Information Technology to extend rural Internet connectivity to all districts in the State. Declaring open Arunai Gateway, a Centre for Information Technology and Library in Arunai Engineering College (AEC) here, Mr. Maran said the Internet facility with fixed wireless connection in select villages in 10 districts had enabled rural people to utilise information technology for their requirements.

Citing an example, he said farmers in a village of Tiruvallur district, were now getting their animals examined by a veterinary doctor in Chennai through video-conferencing with the help of a computer-literate girl.

Recalling the words of the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Mr. Maran said he had said that India could become a super power only if computer literacy and the benefits of IT were taken to the villages where the majority of Indians live.

India's software exports, which were Rs. 250 crores nearly 10 years ago, touched $ 12 billion this year. "You have to work hard to retain this position, in view of the global competition and growth in the field of software production," he said. .

Mr. Maran also inaugurated the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS), which will provide the parents a 24-hour on-line access to specific information about the academic performance and conduct of their wards in the college and the fees payable.

K. Sridhara, Chief General Manager, Tamil Nadu Telecom Circle, Chennai, said the Department of Telecommunications was rapidly expanding its communication and IT infrastructure to provide users soon the required bandwidth on demand under the National Information Backbone project.

K. Venkatapathy, Union Minister of State for Law, K. Ponmudi and K. Pichandi, MLAs spoke.

R.S. Naagarazan, Director (Academic) said BSNL had provided Arunai Gateway with 2 Mbps leased-line. It included a digital library, English language laboratory and a central library.

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