Imphal, Jul 22 (DIPR): Manipur is one of the leading States in the North East in IT sector, said PK Singh, Commissioner (IT). He was addressing a press conference organized by DIPR at its office complex today. He stated that IT Department is equipping and encouraging local IT professionals and IT entrepreneurs by giving them incentives, training them, facilitating their participation in seminars and workshops outside the State. He was confident that the IT sector in the state would make great stride in the days ahead.
The Commissioner further informed that with the Government of Indian putting a lot of emphasis on the Act East Policy, Manipur is placed in a very appropriate position to take advantage of the various treaties signed with Myanmar and other ASEAN countries. Taking part at the press conference, N Deven, Additional Director of Information Technology said that even though Manipur is a small State as compared to Assam, when it comes to the IT sector, Manipur moved ahead having established an IT Park at Mantripukhri, the only State in the NE to do so.
Five IT/IT enabled service agencies are operating at Mantripukhri IT park which has an area of 2000 sq ft, he said and added that 180 employees are currently working at the IT Park, he said. The State is would witness an IT SEZ at Mantripukhri soon. Moreover, a 27-acre area adjacent to the IT Park has been notified as an IT SEZ, he said. The first building of the IT SEZ with 1.4 lakh sq ft of space is at the final stage of construction and it is expected to be ready for inauguration by March 2017, Deven said.
Considering these factors, the Department of Information Technology is working on importing computer components, assembling it in the State and selling the finished products to other States or even export it outside the country, said N Deven. Some of the other major initiatives taken up by the Dept include establishment of STPI, Imphal Centre in 2004, he said. Incubation space is provided at the STPI Imphal Centre and the facility has been availed by about 40 IT professionals, he said.
IIIT Manipur was established and the first academic session in Computer Science and Electronics and Communication started in July 2015. In addition to the regular courses, the IIIT Manipur has started industry specific trainings for the IT entrepreneurs in Manipur so that there is sufficient manpower with up-to-date qualifications in Manipur, Deven said and added that IIIT Manipur will be providing incubation space for Research and Design.
In pursuance of the Digital India project, the Department has established a State Data Centre (SDC) for hosting all the applications of the State Government and websites, he said.
The Data Centre operates on a 24×7 mode and is presently hosting the Application Software of the Crime and Criminal Tracking System (CCTNS), State Portal and the e-District, he said.
Several Websites including http://manipur.gov.in are also hosted in Manipur. Moreover, the Department is setting up a number of Common Service Centres (CSC) which would act as the Front End to all online Government Services.
Deven further said that the CSCs are Facilitation Centres which are equipped with one or more computer, printer, scanner etc. and are connected with internet for providing online Government to Citizens and Business to Citizen services. It is also in the process of establishing a State Wide Area Network which will connect all the Government offices in the State in one single Network.
All the district headquarters and 17 block headquarters are connected. Another major activity of the Department is the EE-District Project which would provide online application and issue certificates like birth and death certificates, OBC/SC/ST certificates, income certificate, domicile/permanent residential certificate etc, he said. The Department has also successfully taken up a pilot project on introducing paperless e-office in a few Departments of the Government of Manipur including DIT Manipur and the same is proposed to be introduced in phases in all the Departments of the Government of Manipur.
The introduction of e-governance would bring about greater transparency and accountability, asserted Valentina Arambam, Deputy Secretary who also attended the press conference. The Government of Manipur in addition to Capacity Building of Government Officials in implementation of e-Governance, is also taking steps to prepare the common man for Digital India by providing digital literacy through the Common Service Centres and other affiliated agencies, so that the people of Manipur would be well prepared and able to leverage the benefits envisaged through Digital India, she said.
