The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : State, ISRO renew cooperation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 26, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

State, ISRO renew cooperation

Special Correspondent

Satellite-based communication network in distance education, farm extension, SHGs

VITAL PACT: Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and ISRO Chairman G. Madhavan Nair at the exchange of MoUs on satellite based communication network in Hyderabad on Friday. — Photo: P. V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD: The State Government and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday renewed their six-year cooperation in satellite-based communications network in the fields of distance education, agricultural extension, self-help groups and human resource development.

A memorandum of understanding to continue the cooperation for a further period of three years was signed on the occasion in the presence of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and ISRO Chairman Madhavan Nair.

The arrangement will enable continuation of formal and non-formal education programmes by the Government-owned Mana TV, which has over 2,000 terminals and five channels.

Improved facilities

Dr. Reddy told reporters later that the tie-up with ISRO to utilise INSAT-III B satellite using the Ku band had yielded good results as it provided improved coaching facilities to students.

Discussing the plans of the Government to promote employment in Information Technology (IT) and IT Enabled Services sectors, he said over two lakh jobs were aimed in the next three years.

Dr. Reddy praised the satellite images of ISRO in the recent floods and said they helped the Government in planning relief operations.

The ISRO chief said the satellite network of the Government had systematically grown from a small beginning when the arrangement was initiated in 2000.

He also said the space organisation was studying cloud patterns to give advance warning to States about floods. The images in the latest floods were procured within a day.

K. Ratna Prabha, Secretary, IT, said the satellite linkage was proposed to be extended to more schools, colleges and Government offices.

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