Use IT to fight poverty: Clinton

By Sandeep Dikshit

HYDERABAD, MARCH 24. The U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton, today said it was critical for the U.S. and India to work together in order to seize the possibilities in the information age and ensure that there is no digital divide between the haves and havenots.

``We know our future depends on the right kind of partnership with India, specially in information technology, the world's newest and fastest growing economy,'' he observed.

Describing information technology (IT) as the best weapon available with humanity to fight poverty, Mr. Clinton felt the two nations should pool their energies to utilise IT for sociological purposes.

``There is a lot we can do. We must use science to find solutions for people without regard to their income. We just want to be good partners in this endeavour,'' he noted while addressing industrialists of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at Hyderabad's Hitec City.

Acknowledging the role being played by Indian- Americans in the U.S., he pointed out that over 750 American companies are being run by this community in the Silicon Valley alone. This initiative is beginning to spread to India which is fast becoming a software superpower. ``India has shown that developing countries can not only succeed but also lead.''

Indians had taken the lead in IT only due to values of nationhood laid down by Jawaharlal Nehru, said Mr. Clinton. The IT revolution was being led by graduates from institutions such as the IITs which were set up by Nehru.

Mr. Clinton felt there should be a reality check in the midst of celebration of tomorrow and the satisfaction of being fortunate.

``While it is good that 25-year-olds are becoming millionaires and Indian companies are shooting up the Nasdaq, higher profits cannot be the only criteria. There has to be a higher purpose as well. While Internet connections are growing, more fresh water connections are also required. While India has 30 per cent of software engineers, it also has 25 per cent of the world's poor. There is a lot to do.'' The situation in the U.S. was just as distressing and challenging, he acknowledged.

Technology had an important role in this regard by ensuring that people earned decently in order to preserve other biological species. Although the theme of the U.S. President's address was IT, Mr. Clinton avoided sounding erudite and was candid enough to confess that he was still on the learning curve.

``The terms used by young people had different meanings when I was their age. Chips were something you ate, discs were part of the spinal column and semi-conductors were people wishing they were heading an orchestra,'' he said amidst laughter. Indirectly urging those who thought they had crossed the age for learning about IT, Mr. Clinton said he had been continuously attempting to learn more about this sector ever since he started his innings as the U.S. President seven years ago.

``It is wrong to say that I chose Al Gore as my Vice-President because he knew 5,000 times more than me about IT. But the difference since then has narrowed,'' he observed.

`Third way of governance'

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, said the his Government wanted to use IT as a strategic tool to help the common man.

``We want to marry good public policy with information age. We want to search for creative solutions in areas of social relevance and concern.''

Mr. Naidu commended Mr. Clinton for opting for the `third way' of governance which was distinct from the age-old ideologies of capitalism and communism. His Government was also attempting strides in that direction with public welfare as the sole motive.

The CII president, Mr. Rahul Bajaj, felt while the President's trip was a major event, tangible results will flow only when businesses of both countries strongly follow-up on the commitments made during the visit. ``I commit on behalf of the Indian industry and the CII that we shall follow-up strongly,'' he said in a brief opening address.

Speaking after Mr. Bajaj, the Chairman of Satyam Computers, Mr. B. Ramalinga Raju, said the growth witnessed by his company was representative of the excitement hundreds of companies in India were experiencing. Companies like TCS, Wipro, Infosys and NIIT have proven that their quality of services is second to none.

He said when the world GDP touches $50 trillions in the next 20 years, a $2 trillion opportunity awaits India. ``This is too important an opportunity for collaboration neither India nor the U.S. can afford to underestimate,'' he observed.

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