ICT in Indian Agriculture

[This article was published in the February 2006 issue of the eGov Magazine (http://www.egovonline.net) ]

The latest Situation Assessment Survey of Farmers, 2005 of NSSO (http://mospi.nic.in/mospi_nsso_rept_pubn.htm) observes that the average monthly per capita expenditure (MPCE) of a farm house hold is just Rs 503 in 2003 across regions, classes and income groups with 27 per cent of farmers not liking farming while 40 per cent felt that given the option they prefer other career, due to poor incomes.

Satellite based e-Government network

[This article was published in the February 2006 issue of the eGov Magazine (http://www.egovonline.net) ]

The need to empower citizens is paramount and a common objective for all the States of India. Accordingly, the Government of India is actively working to implement the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP). Certainly, Satellite based e-Governance networks can provide excellent solution to make NeGP a success since they are not dependent on geographical parameters and can ably cater the scattered and medium to low traffic areas.

IT event in Kerala

IT Kerala 2006, the largest information technology event is to be held in the Kochi,today as Kerala aims to emerge as a prominent destination for technology companies.

Microsoft outlines e-government strategy

Software maker Microsoft has outlined a worldwide public services and e-government strategy to provide governments with the prescriptive guidance and technology to focus on seamless service deliveries for citizens.

Siemens to digitise vital events records for UK

About 250 million birth, death and marriage records held by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), UK, are to be data captured out of the southern Indian city Chennai. The city centre of Siemens Business Services (SBS) would help its parent to scan, digitise and index the records from the year 1837 to the present day.

Korea Telecom Deploys Caspian for Leading Edge E-Government Services Delivery

Caspian, the leading supplier of advanced policy-based traffic management solutions for IP networks, announced today the successful deployment of its Media Controller solutions by Korea Telecom (KT) for the South Korean e-Government (e-Gov) project.

Railway call centres for customer care in India

Indian Railway (IR) will set up call centres for customer care and to provide several utilities.

Gyanodaya PC purchase programme in India

The Government of the Indian state Karnataka, in collaboration with Intel, has announced ‘Gyanodaya’, a Government Assisted PC Purchase Program which aims to encourage PC adoption among State Government employees and bridge the digital divide by providing easy and affordable PC purchase options.

e-Governance yet to become SMART in eastern India

The simple, moral, accountable, responsive and transparent (SMART) objective of e-Governance in the Indian state Orissa is yet to be flfilled although the State Government is claimed to have computerised tehsils and block-level administration and has initiated the process of computerisation of land records.

Microsoft to push e-Governance in India

IT major Microsoft is to invest $1.7 billion in India and also partner the government of India in pushing e-Governance through National Institute for Smart Governance (NISG).