Major population still deprived of IT benefits: Pitroda

Mumbai, June 13 (UNI) The development of IT and e-Governance in India is not keeping pace with the 9 per cent growth of the economy and the need is to look at prime challenges lying at the bottom of the population pyramid.

''More than 450 million people at the bottom of the population pyramid do not enjoy the benefits of the IT developments in India,'' said National Knowledge Commission Chairman Sam Pitroda while delivering the keynote address at the Microsoft Techmela here today through video conferencing.

He said three fundamental key challenges needs to be addressed in India. Firstly, the disparity prevailing in the society needs to be eradicated. ''In India there is too much disparity between the rich and the poor, rural and the urban and between educated and uneducated,'' Mr Pitroda noted.

''Secondly, development is another key issue which needs to be addressed. The pace of development needs to be made faster in respect to economic, social and infrastructure development in the country.'' And, thirdly, over 550 million young generation below the age of 25 who are still out of the mainstream of the IT development, need to be included.

Making IT more and more applicable at the bottom of the pyramid is the demand of the hour, he stressed.

''With the fast growing Indian economy, there is a huge demand for skilled work-force and also there is a growing challenge of development in the country,'' Mr Pitroda said.

He pointed out that there was a huge shortage of doctors, economists, sociologists and other professionals in the country which could affect the targeted growth to be achieved by 2010.

UNI