Network Readiness Index - Lanka at 69th position

By Sanjeevi Jayasuriya

Reshan Dewapura

Sri Lanka has made marked progress towards making the country a knowledge hub. “We have made great strides in our efforts to make the country the knowledge hub of Asia and are working with strategies to reach the target within the stipulated time. The country’s Network Readiness Index, out of 144 countries, is at the 69th position and this could be considered an achievement, Information Technology Communication Agency (ICTA), Chief Executive Officer, Reshan Dewapura told Sunday Observer Business. Sri Lanka is 47 percentile according to the ranking and is only one position behind India which is 68th in position.

We are almost equal to India and secured a position in the top half of the index, he said.

Regional players such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines including South Africa are behind Sri Lanka in the Network Readiness Index. We have made more progress than other countries in the region.

“The growth in Sri Lanka’s information technology sector is visible. We have clear policies to progress further and are trying to improve the ranking further,” he said.

“Sri Lanka is considered as a model in developing the IT sector and we are moving in the right direction. The development of IT will have a ripple effect on other sectors such as farming, fishing, education and self-employment. We also have the benefit of using IT for the development of many other sectors as well,” Dewapura said.

“We earned $ 600 million last year on IT related exports and plan to reach the $ 1 billion mark by 2016. However, considering the progress made so far we should comfortably reach the target before 2016,” he said.

Export revenue seen as exponential growth and the IT industry has generated 100,000 direct jobs and also similar number of indirect employment opportunities.

“We have put into motion an ambitious plan. Considering the way the IT industry is forging ahead, it is expected to generate 4-5 billion by 2023. As the industry expertise available here is on par with world standards and as our professionals are second to none, we can match the best in the world,” Dewapura said.