Information and Communication Technology Agency | Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka

First overseas ‘Nenasala’ launched in Abu Dhabi

Tuesday, 27 March 2012 12:26

The first ‘Nenasala’ - wisdom outlet - outside Sri Lanka was set up in the United Arab Emirates recently.
The ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) said that this Nenasala was set up at the UAE embassy in Sri Lanka located in Abu Dhabi. ICTA said that this wisdom outlet was set up for the benefit of Sri Lankans in UAE. It enables them to communicate with their relatives in Sri Lanka with greater ease and minimum cost. Run by the staff and volunteers at the embassy this first ever overseas ‘Nenasala’ lays special attention on imparting free training to expatriates to improve their IT and English language skills. According to embassy sources the number of Sri Lankan nationals currently in the UAE is more than 300,000. About 45 per cent of them have white-collar jobs and the rest middle and lower rung jobs.
Currently there are 665 ‘Nenasalas’ set up under the project that implements the 1000 Nenasala concept of His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The goal of the project is to take the computer to the village and make the benefits of ICT reach every citizen. Modern ICT facilities are available in these ‘Nenasalas’.
These ‘Nenasalas’ empower the rural community with ICT. The project is implemented by ICTA. A ‘Nenasala’ outlet or “wisdom outlet” is a centre that provides multiple Information Communication Technology (ICT) based services to the community. It acts as a hub of local, national and global information resources that has a catalytic effect on rural communities in poverty reduction, social and economic development and peace building.
The e-Sri Lanka Development Project initiated by the Government of Sri Lanka aims to provide access to “diverse and unrestricted sources of information and means of communication” to all citizens. The ‘Nenasala’ does just this under the e-Sri Lanka initiative.
The objective of the ‘Nenasala’ Project is to upgrade the living standards of all rural communities across Sri Lanka with equal affordable access to ICT based services.

Lanka Government Network to be taken over by ICTA subsidiary

Monday, 22 August 2011 09:49

The Cabinet of Ministers has authorized supplementary funding amounting to approximately Rs. 74 million to enable a subsidiary owned by ICTA to maintain and operate the Lanka Government Network (LGN), beyond August 2011.
The LGN was initially established under a Korean Government funded program through a managed services contract implemented by Samsung Networks Inc. The objective was to establish a government wide network with basic IT infrastructure under the e-Sri Lanka Development Project, through which Government services could be provided by electronic means to ensure greater efficiency in the delivery of Government services.

The first phase connected 325 Government locations (including several Provincial Councils, District Secretariats and Divisional Secretariats) across the country and the second phase connected additional 150 locations, with additional focus in underserved areas.
With the end of the warranty period the maintenance and operations of the LGN has to be gradually taken over by the Government. For this purpose ICTA has already established a fully-owned subsidiary, under ICTA supervision, called "Lanka Government Information Infrastructure Ltd", to take over the maintenance and operation of the LGN.

First ever ‘Nenasala’ ‘Arivakam’ wisdom outlet opened in Kilinochchi

Wednesday, 03 August 2011 16:17

Implementing a concept of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the 615th ‘Nenasala’ Arivakam or wisdom outlet was declared open by Hambantota District MP Namal Rajapaksa in Kilinochchi on 20th July 2011. Explaining the origin of the Nenasala concept ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) Chairman Prof. P. W. Epasinghe said: “The ‘Nenasala’ ‘Arivakam’ telecentre or wisdom outlet is a brainchild of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Under this Nenasala project 1000 ‘Nenasala’ ‘Arivakam’ wisdom outlets will be set up island-wide to serve as the nerve centre of ICT facilities in the relevant area”.
Elaborating on the objectives of Nenasala, the ICTA Chairman, said that the objective of the Nenasala was to provide the optimal benefits of ICT to the community. He noted that Nenasala must act as a resource centre to the community and that the services offered by the Nenasala were varied and adapted to the needs of the milieu. These include information on Government services and information for farmers and fishermen with regard to livelihoods. They help the youth in the community to find employment opportunities and start self-employment etc.
The centre is located in the Kilinochchi town and therefore easily accessible to the public, ICTA Project Manager, Gavashkar Subramanium said reporting from the site. Giving further details Gavashkar said that this was the first ‘Nenasala’ or ‘Arivakam’ wisdom outlet in the Kilinochchi district and the 6th in the Northern Province and the 615th in the island. The centre will be managed and operated by Tharunyata Hetak, (Ilagnanarkalukkaana Naalai) Youth Organisation. This Nenasala is fully equipped with personal computers, laser printer, scanner, web camera and broadband internet connectivity provided on WiMAX technology.
Caption
Hambantota District MP Namal Rajapaksa operating a computer at the first ever (‘Nenasala’/’Arivakam’) ‘wisdom outlet’ telecentre. Cooperatives and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando looks on.