MIT to set up more IT industry in NE

Shillong, Jun 12 (UNI) The Ministry of Information and Technology has decided to set up more IT industries in the North Eastern states to tap the growing human resource and bring down the digital gap of the region with the rest of the country.

Today, IT experts from the across the country have assembled here to draw a blue print to ensure that the gap between the IT ''haves'' and ''have-nots'' is reduced and the North East is not left behind in the digital rat race.

''Establishment of IT industry in northeast and development of e-governance and software industry is vital to tap the growing human resource and bring down the digital gap of these states with the rest of the country and IT sector could play a key role,''Secretary in-charge Information and Technology Janinder Singh said while inaugurating the two-day IT summit titled 'The 2008 MEGhABY-TES' here.

The two-day summit will deliberate on issues concerning IT and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based on presentations made by various companies from the private sector and the Centre.

Mr Singh said the IT Department has approved to set up Rs 500 crore Department of Electronics Accredition of Computer Courses (DOEACC) in Shillong.

The Centre, he said, will impart IT based training to more than 500 students annually.

Emphasising on the need for sustainable growth in all sector including IT, Meghalaya Chief Minister Dr Donkupar Roy called upon all the stake holders in the state to adopt IT as a major aspect of their plan for growth.

''The state government has already formulated IT policy in 2004 and a lot of initiative is being taken up by the state government,'' he said.

Dr Roy also appealed to the Chief Ministers of the north eastern states to collectively take effort to grow in IT at their respective level so that no state of northeast will lag behind.

IT minister Conrad K Sangma opined that the state does need to be empowered digitally and the IT revolution will also be spread in rural areas.

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