"ICTA projects contribute immensely towards Sri Lanka becoming Wonder of Asia"

The Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) successfully carried out yet another of its endeavours of taking the benefits of ICT to the villages recently.

Carried out under the patronage of Telecommunication and IT Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya at Anuradhapura, the exercise was the result of the combined efforts of two interdependent programmes of ICTA.

The combined efforts of the e-Society and the Information Infrastucture Programmes of ICTA resulted in giving the people optimum exposure to ICT. With their common venue at the Triangle Hotel at the Matale Junction on the Kandy Road in Anuradhapura the two programmes had a synergic effect in their output. The e-Society’s activities of the day, namely 29th ultimo, aimed at creating an awareness of its activities under the e-Sri Lanka initiative as fully as possible. Parallel to this, ICTA under its Information Infrastructure Programme, organised a Nenasla Forum consisting of the Nenasala (wisdom outlet) owners and operators. The third in the series of Nenasala Forums, like the first held in Hambantota and the second in Kegalle was aimed at finding out in what way the work in the Nenasala project could be improved.

Participating in this twin programme Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya paid a glowing tribute to ICTA for its people-friendly projects.

The projects initiated by ICTA contribute immensely towards fulfilling the goals of the “Mahinda Chinthana ‘Vision for the Future’ “, the Minister commended. Pointing out the challenge before the country the Minister added: “The great challenge before the country is to become the Wonder of Asia by 2016. Reaching this target is proportionate to the level at which the benefits of ICT reach the people”.

Speaking further on the occasion the Minister said that the e-Society projects and the Nenasla projects played a pivotal role in making the benefits of ICT reach the people. Thanks to ICTA projects, the ICT literacy which was about 5 per cent in 2005 is now about 35 per cent. The Minister said that the e-Society projects helped local talents to shine and come forward to take the country to international and regional award winning levels. Referring to the Nenasala Forum the Minister said that the island –wide Nenasala Project was a dream come true and a brainchild of H. E. the President. The Minister thanked the Nenasala owners and operators for their contribution towards the fulfillment of the President’s wish to make the life of the people more comfortable through ICT. The Minister appealed to their continued enthusiasm in order to make the lives of the people more comfortable, the foundation for Sri Lanka becoming the wonder of Asia.

The programme of the e-Society of this day of awareness creation comprised an exhibition and road show. High public enthusiasm was witnessed at both these exposures. In particular schoolchildren were seen taking great interest in seeing ICTA’s e-Society exhibition displaying IT creations that go a long way in making life’s daily routines more comfortable.

The content and application which ICTA successfully disseminated information about during this awareness programme covered the following: 1. e-Learning for kids (Interactive self learning tool), 2. English learning, 3. SME tool kit for small businesses (Accounting, Business English etc), 4. Modern Agricultural information, 5. Vidunena (self leaning A/L science), 6. Happy Life (Reproductive health), 7. www.danuma.lk a site with wealth of information, 8. Content for self employment (Youghurt, cement, paper, milk based products, handicrafts production etc) and 9. Content on hygiene, home gardening.

The third in a series of Nenasala Forums, the Forum on this day at Anuradhapura roped in Nenasala owners and operators from Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kurunegala, Puttalam and Matale. At this Forum grievances were aired, advice was given and the majority of the problems were solved on spot, a senior ICTA spokesperson said. This problem-solving was greatly facilitated by a panel of top officials. The panel comprised Telecommunication and IT Ministry Secretary Nimal Athukorala, ICTA CEO Reshan Dewapura and Nenasala Project Consutant J. K. Perera.

While the first in this series of Forums for Nenasala owners and operators aimed at improving the performance and services at Nenasala was held in Hambantota, the second was held in Kegalle.

More details could be obtained from www.icta.lk.

Caption 1:-

Telecommunication and Information Technologly Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, North Western Province Cooperative Minister H. B. Semasinghe, Telecommunication and Information Technology Ministry Secretary Nimal Athukorala and ICTA CEO Reshan Dewapura at the Nenasala Forum held in Anuradhapura

Caption 2:-

Children showing keen interest in viewing the digital content at the ICTA e-Society exhibition which was part of the awareness creation programme held in Anuradhapura