Bhubaneswar: In order to improve the quality of life of the people through the intervention of information and technology (IT), the state government Wednesday decided to prepare a roadmap.
Newly appointed Information and Technology advisor to the state government Sam Pitroda said, “I am delighted to have this opportunity to work for Orissa’s IT sector. We have decided to prepare a roadmap, to improve the quality of life of a large number of people through IT. Today we held a series of meeting and began the process to formulate a plan to achieve this.”
Pitroda, who officially took over the charge Wednesday, chaired a series of meetings with IT officials and six ministers at Rajiv Bhawan here.
The state has been working for IT and e-governance for several years. The state has its own plans, which depend on investments and invite more companies to set up their units in Bhubaneswar, he said. “The plan I have in my mind is a little different and it is to see what IT can do for the betterment of people of Orissa. It is not enough to invite some IT firms to the state and create more software jobs. It is important, but we should also focus on what IT can do to agriculture, education, health, and how can it benefit the common man,” Pitroda said.
“I want a plan for three years and concrete results in one year. So that people of the state can feel something is happening,” the IT expert said.
The plan would include connecting all the universities, providing high-speed internet facilities to all panchayats, implementation of telemedicine facilities in every districts and to link IT with art and culture, he suggested.
IT secretary PK Jena said in one month working groups would be formed to identify 10 priority areas. Representatives from state government, IT experts and targeted beneficiaries would be involved in the groups, he said.
Food supply and consumer welfare minister Sanjay Das Burma who attended the meeting said IT-enabled transparent database for the people to strengthen public distribution system and other key areas would be made.
In evening, Pitroda met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the secretariat with regard to his plan. The meeting discussed ways to improve information connectivity and measures to roll out fibre optics down to the level of panchayat. PNN
