Intel launches digital village programme in TS
Intel India, a global computing company, has launched for the first time the rural digitisation programme in Telangana, as part of its support to the Prime Minister’s Digital India vision.
Nadimpalle, a remote village in Mahabubnagar district is being covered under the programme
The global computing co plans to open similar kendras in 10 more states as part of its support to the Prime Minister’s digital India vision
Hyderabad: Intel India, a global computing company, has launched for the first time the rural digitisation programme in Telangana, as part of its support to the Prime Minister’s Digital India vision.
Christened as ‘Ek Kadam Unnati Ki Aur’, the first Unnati Kendra was set up a remote village, Nadimpalle, in Mahabubnagar district, fitting in the Telangana Model Digital Village framework already launched a month ago. The Unnati Kendra has formally been launched by the Telangana state’s advisor for policy and institutions, BV Paparao here on Wednesday.
Speaking at the event, Paparao said that the government is looking beyond the computer technology. “We are now looking at beyond computer, the ‘photonics’,” he said. The government is planning to promote a corporation for the development of photonics, he added.
Photonics is the science and technology of generating, controlling, and detecting photons, which are particles of light. Photonics supports the technologies of daily life from smartphones to laptops to the Internet to medical instruments to lighting technology.
Explaining the Intel’s digital programme in India, Vice President, Sales and Marketing Group, MD South Asia, Intel, Debjani Ghosh said, the company will closely work with the national and regional governments and plans to take the rural digitization scheme to the model villages in about 10 states including Telangana, which is the first in the order.
“We are in consultation with other states and will decide the other nine states shortly,” she said speaking to The Hans India on the sidelines of the event.
“The first centre is already up and running in Mahabubnagar. So far the response has been fantastic. Over 800 villagers have been using it and we hope to scale this model and ensure that when Digital India happens it happens the right way,” she said.
Under this programme Intel will impart at least one person in the family be digitally literate, the company will provide lots of digital content such as education, commerce, health etc., and even encourage the villagers to use their existing television by using PC-on-a-Stick instrument.
Participating in the event, Telangana IT secretary, Jayesh Ranjan said the government had already initiated ‘e-panchayat’ programme in October covering about 100 sample villages. “The government is planning to scale it up to 1,000 digital villages once taking the experience of the initial 100 centres,” Ranjan said.
Under e-panchayat, the government offering five services, namely, citizen services like issue of certificates, financial services like paying pensions, subsidies etc, banking services, insurance services and lately the e-panchayts are offering training camps in digital technology, competitive examinations etc.
