Info technology literacy rate to increase to 75 pc by 2016

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The government plans to increase the country's level of Information Technology (IT) literacy rate up to 75 percent by 2016 under a national action plan to provide the dividends of IT to all citizens, Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said.

Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya

"As a developing country, holding population and housing census from time to time is very important to have an idea about the country's development. It also helps to create the country's future plans as well," he added.

The minister was addressing the e-census launching ceremony at the Telecommunication and Information Technology Ministry yesterday.

The Census and Statistics Department commenced the 14th population and housing census on Monday under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa covering the whole country including the North and East for the first time after 30 years. The census will end on March 19, 2012. Data will be collected from 300 houses in Colombo through this system.

This method is to be used for other census and researches in future.

All arrangements are in place to strengthen the broad-band facilities in the country within the next three years, Telecommunication and Information Technology Ministry secretary Nimal Atukorala said. According to Atukorala the e-census system is a very productive effort and they are to establish this method islandwide within the next 10 years. Census and Statistics Department acting Director General H R Gunasekara also participated.