IT revolution will be complete with computer literacy: Pilot

Updated on: Monday, August 22, 2011

The IT revolution in India will be complete only when every citizen is able to use computers, Union Minister of State Sachin Pilot said.

"The IT revolution will be complete when India is computer literate," Pilot, the MoS for IT and Communications, said after launching several IT-based initiatives here.

He released the basic IT literacy course in Kashmiri language and said a similar IT course in Dogri language will be launched at Jammu in near future.

Pilot said all the 22 official langauges of the country have now been covered under the IT literacy programme.

"Anyone can download the programme for free from the website of the ministry and can learn use of computers in their own language," he said.

Pilot said the IT exports of the country were touching USD 78 billion while the industry was providing employment to 11 million people directly or indirectly.

"However, that is not enough... people of India should be able to use computers and jobs should be created not only in cities and big towns but in far-flung areas as well," he said.

Pilot said Centre would provide all technological and financial assistance to Jammu and Kashmir government for completing the e-governance project.

The Minister said the state will have to consider formulating a package for wooing investors to the state as there was ample talent available for the IT sector to boom.

Earlier, the Union Minister inaugurated the Computer Forensic Laboratory here.

"Our judicial and police officers need new skill sets and training to deal with the cybercrime which is becoming very rampant," he said, adding now officers from Kashmir will not have to travel to Chandigarh or Delhi for getting trained in these skills.

He also announced setting-up of another lab in Jammu region as well. "These laboratories are part of the effort to strengthen the capacity of law enforing agencies in tackling cybercrime and online fraud," he added.

Pilot said the State Data Centre for Jammu and Kashmir will be completed at a cost of Rs 37 crore by the end of April 2012.

The minister also inagurated the state-of-the-art telephone exchange and customer care centre at Barzullah.

The 4000-line capacity exchange will provide data, voice and video services to the customers.

IT revolution will be complete with computer literacy: Pilot

More Education news