35 Internet centres for estate community

The Government will establish 35 new e-Kiosk Centres with internet and satellite communication facilities this year to boost IT proficiency of the estate population.

Earlier this year, the Cabinet has approved a proposal made by the Minister of Livestock and Rural Community Development Arumugam Thondaman on the establishment of new telecentres for the estate community.

The move is part of a bigger digital inclusion program by the Saumyamoorth Thondaman Memorial Foundation under an Act of Parliament aimed at establishing 450 Prajashakthi (Community strengthening) centres.

This programme is funded by the government in accordance with the objective of keeping pace with moving towards a knowledge based society as stipulated in President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s policy statement of Mahinda Chintana.

The Cabinet also approved Rs. 200 Million (US$1.8 million) to provide 270 computers and other equipment to the 45 centres already established. Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga said the government has set its sights on raising the ICT literacy of its citizenry to 75 per cent by 2016.

A similar project is being rolled out in the country called Rural Telecentre Network, known as Nenasala, and a network of PC labs in schools, aimed at narrowing the digital divide in rural areas to date, 615 nenasala have been established.

(FutureGov)