State poised to lead country in tech convergence: Jayant Patil

Mumbai, Mar 16 (UNI) The Maharashtra government is determined to retain the State's leading position in the country in respect of convergence of technologies, Jayant Patil, State Minister for Finance and Planning today said.

Inaugurating 5th International Conference on Communications Convergence, which was organised by Indian Merchants Chamber, the minister said ''As in the past, Maharashtra would continue be the economic growth drive, by providing a fertile ground for newer science and technologies.'' The minister asserted the State was leading the country - with about 6.5 per cent of the country's mobile phones in the city alone, and about 14.5 per cent mobiles all over the State.

Mr Patil said he had told the Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, the State was determined to achieve a double digit economic growth rate, as against a modest 8.5 per cent growth rate suggested by the commission.

A study paper on 'Convergence of Communication Technologies,' brought out by the PriceWaterhouseCoopers was released by the minister on the occasion.

The Chairman of National Knowledge Commission (NKC), Sam Pitroda, said the commission sought to develop specialised manpower skills in the country by focusing development of the country's vast educational network, including its infrastructure.

He said the new found prosperity of India had not yet percolated down and reached more than 550 million people, mostly in rural areas, resulting in desperation, suicides, child labour, mortality and diseases. ''In view of this, the NKC has decided to not only upgrade the facilities and standards for higher education and specialization in vocations, but also to spread literacy to all sections of people,'' he said.

The commission has recommended the implementation of a 'National Knowledge Network Project' at an investment of 1 billion dollar. The project would aim to connect all centres of higher learning, research and development facilities, and national laboratories, so that they would not remain islands of excellence, but would be able to share knowledge with each other, he added.

Jignesh Shah, Founder CEO, Financial Technologies Group, said that India inherited a rich pool of talented young people. Even in the face of heavy odds and lack of infrastructure, India's telecommunications industry had recorded enviable growth, he said.

Anand Mahindra, V-C&MD, Mahindra&Mahindra, said that convergence was taking place not only in the field of technologies, but in the minds of various segments of the community. Convergence is taking place in human minds, he asserted.

UNI