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

Positive values of GIC-1919 could have a catalyst effect on public institutions

Friday, 03 September 2010 14:51

The positive values of the Government Information Centre – 1919 could have a catalyst effect on all Government institutions, said Chairman GIC-1919 Project Steering Committee and Additional Presidential Secretary Dr. I. H. K. Mahanama. The Additional Secretary said so while participating at the Annual National GIC – 1919 Conference held at Hotel Galadari, Colombo last Tuesday (31).

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga , Dr. Mahanama said that he would like to pass on the message of the Secretary to the representatives of Government institutions participating at the conference. That message, briefly stated, is that with the cooperation of Government institutions, including speedy submission of updated service manuals, GIC could do wonders towards making Sri Lanka the wonder of Asia as envisaged in the “Mahinda Chintana Vision for the Future”, Dr. Mahanama emphasised.

Placing the GIC in its perspective Dr. Mahanama said that the “Mahinda Chintana Vision for the Future” with the foresight on the fivefold hub had covered the whole spectrum of Sri Lanka’s economy. The policy statement manifests a thorough study of Sri Lanka’s economy. Backed by a thorough study of the past it points out what should now be done in the whole economy of the country including the naval, aviation, commercial, energy and knowledge sectors for a better future, the Additional Secretary added.The GIC acclaimed for its promptitude, courtesy, accuracy, personal interest, tenacity and on-going improvement through advanced technology could percolate into the Government institutions and play a pivotal role in making Sri Lanka the Knowledge hub of Asia. “We might not be able to reduce the number of letters received daily to five as in Singapore, but substantial time could be put in for productive work with greater public service efficiency”, Dr. Mahanama said. The additional secretary explained that due to the culture of Sri Lanka people were prone to address even matters that could be thrashed out at levels nearer home to the Head of State. However there is an in-built facility in the GIC project to put forward grievances and complaints. Each complaint is considered carefully, brought to the attention of the relevant office and the caller is sent a reply with regard to his complaint with confidentiality maintained at all times.

Satellite technology to improve railway transport management

Thursday, 12 August 2010 10:48

The ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) and the Sri Lanka Railway Department (SLR) have jointly taken steps to use satellite technology to improve railway transport management.
ICTA and the SLR and gTrack Solutions Private Ltd. signed a MoU recently to use Satellite Technology that would greatly enhance the railway transport management in Sri Lanka.
This MoU to use the Global Position System (GPS) and the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) entailing satellite technology for more efficient train service management and more effective commuter satisfaction was signed at the Railway Department headquarters in Colombo last week.
ICTA Re-engineering Government Programme Director Wasantha Deshapriya said that as a result of the application of Satellite Technology as per the MoU anyone from anywhere would be able instantly to know where a train operating under the new technology is.
"When this project is implemented anyone will be able to avail himself/herself of the automatic display of where a train equipped with the said facility is at any given time. The commuter, actual or potential will be able to know instantly whether the train concerned will be on schedule, have a delay and if so the likely extent of the delay and make alternative plans accordingly. He or she will be able to have this information simply by using his/her mobile phone or internet," Deshapriya added.

Provinces united by ICTA

Monday, 09 November 2009 13:58

Another 150 government organizations including those in the North Central and Eastern Provinces will be linked through Lanka Government Network (LGN) to facilitate better public service, Information and Communication Technology ( ICTA) Project Director Suranga Jayasuriya told the Daily News yesterday.

Jayasuriya said that ICTA had connected 375 government organizations including Presidential Secretariat, Prime Minister's Office, 46 Cabinet Ministries, five Chief Secretariats, 82 Departments, 13 District Secretariats, 177 Divisional Secretariats, five Chief Secretariats in Western, Southern, Sabaragamuwa and Central Provinces under Phase I of the project.

"This project had been launched through the program re-engineering the public sector organizations. ICTA comes under the direct purview of the Presidential Secretariat aimed at enhancing the existing public service qualitatively and accelerate service efficiency adopting modern IT innovations," he asserted.

He said that the ICTA hopes to rope in three Chief Secretariats, 32 Provincial Ministries, 16 Provincial Departments, five District Secretariats and 94 Divisional Secretariats in the Provinces of Eastern, North Central and North Western under Phase II of the project.

ICTA signed a contract with Samsung Networks Inc. for implementing and managing the LGN-Phase II of the project at ICTA premises recently.

ICTA has also taken steps to gather all information on State-owned lands in the Colombo, Kalutara and Gampaha districts to form a database.

While the computerization of the information on State-owned lands in the Western Province will take place under the project management and technical support of the the re-engineering of public sector organizations of ICTA, the solution will be developed by the School of Computing of the Colombo University.

http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/11/07/news31.asp

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