Grid computing in healthcare, knowledge sector important: Minister

Bangalore, Dec 13 (UNI) Setting up on a seamless grid computing in areas like governance, knowledge and health care sectors can bring greater benefits to common people, Union Minister of State for Planning M V Rajasekharan said today.

Speaking at the valedictory of the 3rd IEEE International Conference on 'e-Science and Grid Computing' here, he said that Information Science and Nanotechnology, besides ICT, can bring revolutionary changes in economy, healthcare, rural development and governance.

"Seamless connectivity in the present day situation can help a great deal in speeding up National development. We should make use of India making great strides in ICT to improve agricultural practices. More than 75 per cent of the farmers in this country are small and marginal farmers owning less than one hectare. This can help the country bring down the poverty level and eliminate hunger," he added.

Mr Rajasekharan said the 11th plan document was ready and it would be discussed in the December 19 National Development Council (NDC) meeting in Delhi. "We will present to the nation the 11th five year plan on that day. The focus of this plan is to accelerate GDP from eight to ten per cent, increase in agricultural GDP to four per cent, creating 70 million new jobs and reduce the educated unemployment to below five per cent," he added.

Mr N Mohan Ram, Chairman of C-DAC, Bangalore, and the General Chair of the conference said 201 participants from all over the world had attended the conference. About 260 papers were submitted out of which 50 were accepted.

"There has been good improvement in integrated grids between Asia and Europe but it had to be improved with the North American Continent. We need to explore setting up of computing grids with other continents," he added.

UNI