Chennai, October 14 2017: The Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Harsh Vardhan, has said that all out efforts would be made to make digital India a success by 2020.
Talking to media persons at Chennai today, he said that the Government is giving intensified thrust to the process of laying optical fibre .
All necessary components would be made available and massive efforts are underway to achieve the goal, he added .
Two years back, optical fibres were laid covering a distance of only 350 kilometres, he said.
“Now two lakh kilometres have been covered by optical fibre.
We will not allow the hindrances that occur in NE region and Manipur in particular, to stand in the way of the laying of optical fibre.
We must achieve digital India by 2020”, he asserted .
A Nation can be called digital only when banking service, uninterrupted power supply and 24/7 internet facility are available in every nook and corner of the country .
Dr Harsha Vardhan said that it is in the knowledge of the Union Government that there are crippling issues confronting the NE region and pointed towards some of the issues like transportation problem, gruelling agitation launched by different sections of people that hinder free movement of vehicles and other essential services .
Despite facing all these problems the Government of India will set out to fulfil the mission of making India digital by 2020, he said .
Replying to a query, he said the Union Government is yet to receive any proposal from the Government of Manipur for setting up a science city in the State.
If there is any proposal as such the Ministry would look into the matter .
He said that science and technology shape the path for development of the country .
Keeping this in view, the Government of India is considering shifting next year’ s science festival to NE region.
The first and the second science festivals were held in the capital.
Chennai was the third to host it .
The Minister was informed of the need for conducting State level science competitions among the students of the NE region and Manipur in particular and the necessity to send the top ranked holders to Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and ISRO, to view how scientists work at the apex science institutes .
That will be catalytic to young students’ pursuit of achieving higher scientific knowledge, he added .
The Minister was also told that the students are taught the best and highest scientific theory but the laboratories available in the institutes scattered across the State are not upto the mark .
These equipment are obsolete, the Minister was informed .
Giving his reply, the Minister said that efforts are being made to provide latest machines to the medical colleges of the State .
He was of the view that the State Government should bring up their requirements to the knowledge of the Union Government.
Source: The Sangai Express
I am not sure of the pace of implementation
Sujay Rao Mandavilli