ICT benefits should accrue to all - Minister Siyambalapitiya

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is keen that the benefits of ICT accrue to all, said Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya after inaugurating 21 Nenasalas (Wisdom Outlets) in the North recently.

Students using the facilities at the Nenasala at the Hindu Education Board at Thirunelveli, receive help from teachers.

“Every child irrespective of his place of birth, language spoken, religion practised or any other factor, is precious to the President,” the Minister said.

He said that the Nenasala project was the flagship project implemented under the guidance of the President to bring the dividends of ICT to the village. It is significant that the first of the 21 new Nenasalas which is also the 700th Nenasala in the country, was launched at the Kottadi Women's Village Development Society building, Point Pedro.

The ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) has invited applications from community-based organisations to set up 41 Nenasalas in the Northern Province.

They will be implemented by the relevant CBOs under ICTA supervision. ICTA representatives including CEO Reshan Dewapura, Director Strategic Communications and Media, Athula Pushpakumara, Senior Program Head – Re-engineering Government and Administration and Operations, D. C. Dissanayake, Program Head - Monitoring and Evaluation, Jagath Seneviratna and Program Manager - Information Infrastructure, Gavaskar Subramaniam, Telecommunication and Information Technology Ministry representatives, representatives from the CBOs, students and the public were present.

The Minister said that the President was keen on ICT skills improvement and the concomitant improvement in the standard of life of all people without discrimination.

The facilities provided at the Nenasalas include photo copying, colour printing, binding, laminating, skype and e-services.

IT courses suitable for youth and schoolchildren will be provided at these centres. When the 41 new Nenasalas are in place, the total number of Nenasalas in the Northern Province will be 59. This will comprise Nenasalas in the Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya districts.