Ministry aims 75 percent IT literacy
The Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministry aims at
making Sri Lanka become 75 percent IT literate while turning the IT
industry into a major export earner, Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya
said. He was speaking at a ceremony inaugurating the new Ministry
yesterday.
The Minister emphasised the challenge placed before the Ministry by
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, of making Sri Lanka reach the 75 percent
mark in IT literacy in 2016 and optimising IT as a foreign exchange
earner.
"The efforts towards this objective should be well planned and worked
out with a dedication similar to winning the war," he said."The
above-mentioned twin goal of the Telecommunications and IT ministry is
an essential part of the wider goal of winning the economic war."
"The benchmark of this is the doubling of the country's per capita
income within the target period which in its turn will contribute
heavily towards Sri Lanka becoming Asia's Wonder," the Minister said.
Siyambalapitiya said that the IT literacy rate that was about four
percent had now reached about 30 percent.
"Given the proper impetus and leadership Sri Lankans will achieve
what seemed to be impossible. We have seen this happening with regard to
eradicating terrorism. We can all unite, without being distanced by
language, religion or any other differences," he said.
Fifteen years ago the rural people were shy to place the receiver of
the phone close to their ear and say 'hello'. But today it has become
both a useful and fashionable part of their routine lifestyle to use the
mobile phone, the Minister said.
The Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka has
contributed greatly towards making the benefits of ICT reach the people
thus. All citizens should be 'socio-economic' soldiers in winning this
economic war and making Sri Lanka the Wonder of Asia, he said.
|