Date:11/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/11/stories/2007051114650500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Villages in 4,000 taluks to get digital connectivity soon

Staff Reporter

This is as part of Government's satellite-aided Village Resource Centre Project

SHOWCASING ACHIEVEMENTS: S.V. Ranganath, Additional Secretary, Department of Space, at the exhibition on `Strides in Indian science and technology' in Bangalore on Thursday. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

Bangalore: The Government will soon extend digital connectivity to villages in 4,000 rural and semi-urban taluks as part of its satellite-aided Village Resource Centre (VRC) Project, to provide services such as telemedicine and tele-education.

The 200 VRCs that already exist in 14 States have benefited from these satellite-aided initiatives, according to S.V. Ranganath, Additional Secretary, Department of Space.

He was speaking at a workshop organised by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), on "communication strategies and delivery systems to promote science and technology among rural people."

Mr. Ranganath, however, noted "there have been well-intentioned initiatives such as e-governance projects, but they have been less than successful primarily because they have been too elitist and urban in their focus." The status of education in villages must be looked at especially at a time when we are investing so much in human capital, he said.

Speaking on the role of the media, A.P. Frank Noronha, Deputy Director-General, DAVP, said television and print media were preoccupied with products, consumerism and sensationalism, dictated by what they thought was right.

He said the media had a choice: it could either constantly accommodate the whims of a certain section of people or be tailored to meet the needs of society.

"The population in villages must be recognised as our greatest asset and their creative capacities must be harnessed for the development of the country," he said.

There needed to be a synergy between the media and scientific institutes, Mr. Noronha said.

"We need a determined effort among the premier scientific institutions to create a dialogue and bond with the media."

In fulsome praise of ISRO, S.K. Das, honorary adviser to ISRO, spoke of the space organisation's work for rural development, especially in Jhabua, where "gleaming white" satellite dishes looked out of place in the parched landscape, but managed to "transform" the lives of the tribal community.

"But ISRO is too modest, they just do not talk about their achievements," he said.

An exhibition on "Strides in Indian science and technology" was inaugurated.