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Recognising the significant role that can be played by the private sector, public sector, non-governmental organisations and communities in developing innovative ICT applications, the ICT Agency has set up a Fund through which it operates a program of grants.

While the Partnership Assistance Program of the e-SDI gives grants to organisations - private sector, public sector or non-governmental, to develop ICT applications which would have an impact on the disadvantaged communities in the country. The Community Assistance program offers grants directly to communities to implement ICT related solutions to improve their daily lives.

In June last year, the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) of Sri Lanka, the apex government body for ICT, launched the e- Society Development Initiative under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapakse to take Sri Lanka into a new era where all sections of our society would reap the benefits of ICT.

By facilitating more balanced access to information within the Sri Lankan society, it is envisioned that the e-SDI will assist in closing the development divide between urban and rural areas, help integrate post conflict regions and thereby contribute to the broader national objectives of development, growth and peace.

The grant process, administered by PricewaterhouseCoopers Sri Lanka, the Process Consultants appointed by the Agency concluded its first round last month with a number of organisations and communities being selected for receipt of awards.

Six grants of Rs 5 million each are being awarded under the Partnership Assistance Program and are in several important areas of education, communication, disabilities and content.

Without local language content, computers and the Internet are of little use to the rural populace as the use of the English language is still not as widespread as one would like it to be.

To address this situation, the ICT Agency has sought to encourage the use of the infrastructure of the fast expanding Nenasala network to deliver quality educational content to rural communities. Partnership Grants being extended to facilitate content development will enable the development of quality local and indigenous educational content.

In the area of education, unemployed school-leavers in two villages in Hambantota and Batticaloa will be given a step up through an English language teaching program to be delivered via satellite. The teaching facilities installed at these villages will eventually be owned by the community.

Capacity building of micro SMEs is considered an essential input for improving their productivity and competitiveness. Through a program to be funded by a Partnership Grant of the ICT Agency, Micro SMEs in 20 villages spread among 20 districts will have access to market and technical information.

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