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Pratibha Patil launches ‘India Development Gateway’ portal

Sandeep Joshi

For information on agriculture, health, primary education

NEW DELHI: President Pratibha Devisingh Patil inaugurated here on Friday the “India Development Gateway” portal — www.indg.in — that will provide information to villagers and weaker sections about their strategic needs related to agriculture, health, primary education, energy and e-governance.

Developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), the portal will initially be available in six languages — Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Bengali and English.

Ms. Patil highlighted the need for expanding it in other Indian languages for wider relevance and acceptance.

The portal could link panchayats across the country, empower villagers and open a window of opportunity to rural development. Information and Communication Technology must help to bring about a second green revolution.

It should also help in achieving universalisation of primary education, energy conservation and energy efficiency and health objectives in villages.

The portal should be used to inform the rural population of the benefits of government schemes and income generation options, Ms. Patil said.

e-governance vision

Union Communications and Information Technology Minister A. Raja said the portal was part of the national e-governance vision to make all government services accessible to the common man in his locality.

“India Development Gateway” initiative chairman and agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan said the portal marked a new architecture of growth based on social inclusion, knowledge revolution and national development. It would provide dynamic information in the areas of weather and market to support agriculture and other sectors in villages.

Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Jyotiraditya Scindia was present.

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