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| Tuesday, 2 December 2003 |
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The Government under the Regaining Sri Lanka Programme has developed a vision statement" e-Sri Lanka: an ICT Development Roadmap" with the objective of introducing modern ICT facilities to village communities. The aim is to assist unemployed youth, self employed groups, students in low income groups etc. to promote their knowledge, skills, self development and active participation in economic growth in order to achieve development in all aspects i.e. social, economic, cultural, and spiritual growth as well, says Joe Perera, Project Manager ADB funded Communication Information Network, Gampaha district. The Government and Asian Development Bank has agreed to implement a project focusing the development requirements of rural community. A one million dollar technical assistance Project will be funded by Asian Development Bank with the financial assistance from Development Fund for International Development (DFID) of UK and Korean International Cooperation Agency (KICA). The Project will establish two Community Information Networks in Gampaha and Ratnapura districts and will be implemented as a pilot project and depending on the experience and success it will be expanded to other parts of the island. Gampaha District Community Information network will provide ICT facilities to 10 Village Information Centres (VICs) The VICs of Gampaha District will be established in Gampaha, Divulapitiya, Mirigama, Katunayake, Dompe, Biyagama, Hendala, Wattala, Henegama, and Katana; while the VICs of Ratnapura District will be in Ratnapura, Eheliyagoda, Kalawana, Palmadulla, Kahawatta, Godakawita, Imbulpe, and Nivitigala. The Community Information Network of Gampaha will be located at Vihara Maha Devi Balika Vidyalaya at Kiribathgoda which was ceremonially opened on November 4 by Power and Energy Minister Karu Jayasuriya and School Development Minister Suranimala Rajapakshe, while the Community Information Network at Ratnapura District will be opened soon. Each network will be equipped with computers, printers, photocopiers, telephones, web sites personal digital assistance and cameras, fax and internet connections. Each VICs will also be equipped with all the above facilities including internet connections each network will also develop a community web sites to collect and disseminate information in English, Sinhala and Tamil. A management and computer training programme will be provided to operators of CICs and VICs. Teleconferencing facilities will be extended to Village Information Centres (VIC) to enhance their network facilities. Vital information will be collected by information collectors from the main centre visiting village centres on daily basis and transport and other facilities have been arranged to meet the rural community to collect their information requirements. The collected information will be analyzed, verified and uploaded to the web sites immediately. News will be disseminated daily to all village centres through e-mails or facsimile; to ensure key information reaches target beneficiaries. Monthly newsletters covering a summary of vital information will be published in three languages. The executive agency of the project is Ministry of School Education and the project will be implemented by TEAMS consultants. Dr. Lal Bopearachchy will function as the team leader and Joe Perera will be the project manager for Gampaha district and Prof. J.W.D. Somasundaram will be the project manager for Ratnapura District. |
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