Sonowal opens IT Directorate

GUWAHATI, Jan 24: Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal said that the State Government is using e-governce to extend good governce to the people of Assam and iuguration of an exclusive directorate of information technology (IT) would help the government to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas.

Iugurating the Directorate of Information Technology, Electronics and Communication on the premises of Jata Bhawan on Wednesday, Sonowal said that though the works of IT so far been looked after by AMTRON, creation of a separate directorate would lend administrative efficiency. He also said after the explosion of Airways, Roadways and Waterways, information highway is another area that the State is heavily banking upon.

Sonowal said that the State Government has been actively working to build a dedicated network of optical grid in the state. In such a backdrop, iuguration of the IT Directorate would not only break the jinx of digital divide, it would help in elimiting corruption at all levels. He also said that the proliferation of IT would also act as a catalyst to overcome ignorance and superstitions.

Sonowal said that the technology-driven force in the Directorate must be in a position to cater to the information needs of the public who comes to the Directorate seek information of different sports.  He however, said that the Directorate through the extensive use of IT must forge harmony among different sections of the people of the state belonging to Barak, Brahmaputra, plains and hills. Sonowal also conceded that iugurating a Directorate for IT just before the first ever Global Investors’ Summit would augur well in bolstering a new paradigm of development in the state. It should also act as a repository of information so that the prospective investors get all sorts of information just by clicking a mouse, Sonowal added.

Information and Technology Minister Keshab Mahanta gave a brief overview of IT revolution that his department has unleashed under the leadership of the Chief Minister. He also said the government in the coming days would announce many more IT friendly schemes for creating an ebling IT environment in the state.

Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, Chief Minister’s Media Adviser Hrishikesh Goswami, MLAs Prasanta Phukan, Rituporno Baruah, Bimal Bora, Chakradhar Gogoi, Bimal Hazarika, Bolin Chetia, Anwar Hussain Laskar, Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia, Additiol Chief Secretary Ravi Capoor, VB Pyeralal, Alok Kumar, Director IT Vinod Seshan and a host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion.