Kerala state would introduce free digital libraries in all schools under the IT@school programme. The schools would have the freedom to copy, modify and redistribute the digital content being supplied to them.
The scheme being implemented with the help of KELTRON, would distribute 7,300 computers, 3740 laptops, 6510 UPS devices, 1291 printers, 785 scanners, 1160 multimedia projectors, 925 print-scan-copy-fax printers, 1500 handy-cams, 430 LCD televisions, 1830 TFT monitors, and 1500 external hard disks , before March 31.
IT@School would facilitate the sharing of digital material and video documentaries that are produced by students in various schools. All schools have already been equipped with broadband Internet, laptops and multimedia projectors.
There are benefits coming to those seeking jobs, as a hiring wave by India’s outsourcing sector is set to increase recruitment by nearly 70 percent in the next financial year, according to the National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom).
India’s big three outsourcing companies — Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys and Wipro — all have plans to boost hiring sharply in the coming financial year, and have already revealed their requirements.
IT professionals confirm that the ‘feel good” factor is back, as big companies have returned to college campuses to recruit in large numbers.
India’s software and services exports are expected to grow by up to 15 percent to hit 57 billion dollars in the next fiscal year . The growth projected for next year is still far below the blistering 28 percent export revenue rise clocked in the financial year 2006/7.
The pilot projects are at Chathankottunada, near Vadakara; Vilangad; and Kakkayam. The Chathankottunada-II project near Vadakara is proposed to have an installed capacity of 6 MW and an annual generation potential of 14.76 million units. The Vilangad small hydro-electric project will have an installed capacity of 7.5 MW to generate 22.63 million units annually.
Houseboats have become mascot of Kerala Tourism. Several accolades have been bestowed on the houseboats, which are unique to the state. Now several other States have evinced interest in replicating them and to introduce them in their water bodies.
The latest is the listing of the houseboats as one of the five ‘ Enchanting Escapes’ from around the globe by ‘Asia Spa.’ The other enchanting escapes mentioned in the three-page article by Lorraine Rodrigues are Belgian town of Bruges, Hua Hin in Thailand and the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
The comfortably furnished houseboat with all modern facilities as in a room of a hotel is the holiday home for foreign and domestic tourists arriving in God’s Own Country. Modified to meet the novel concept of holidaying, the houseboat with conference hall is aimed at those who want to combine business and leisure.
The Kerala government has formally announced its move to migrate from e-governance to m-governance in the next fiscal year. Presenting the state budget for the year 2010-2011, Finance Minister T. M. Thomas Isaac announced an e-communication facility and mobile-based complaint redressal system.
Under the e-Communication facility, every VAT dealer will be provided with an email ID which would be used for service of notices and communication of circulars, and also to receive complaints.
The move is expected to result in saving tons of paper as nearly 173,000 dealers have to be communicated with every month.
At the recent IIM-K sponsored presentations on the suitability of Malabar as an IT destination , 30 management Institutes from all over India made a bid for the top spot.
The presentation by XLRI School of Business and Human Resources, Jamshedpur titled Battle for IT Xcellence which was adjudged the best, has highlighted that though the region was ranked as the best in India in terms of physical quality of life index , there were currently several shortcomings . Emphasising that the top Management of Companies looking at a new IT destination are primarily focused on real estate prices and the land acquisition policies of the Government , the presentation points out that inhibiting factors included the lack of major infra- structure developers in the region, and the failure to develop Calicut properly as the hub .
FMS Delhi concluded that for a successful IT strategy with building Malabar as a sustainable IT destination, it should be both cost and value driven . They saw growth of Tier II & Tier III cities portition of the US$ 90 billion IT business by 2015. Malabar could hold close to 10-15% of this Tier II & III business if it used e-governance contracts acting as its driving force for growth from the domestic markets.
The Xavier institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, also arrived arrived at somewhat similar results of Calicut being at an advantage among Tier II cities. It used statistical data to a larger extent using SWOT techniques to analyze the strengths and weakness of the area.
Whilst past data is a useful indicator , those familiar with theBlack Swan Theory will realize, that there is need to be aware that reasons not factored into these anlysis, can also play a determing role in future happenings. The emergence of new destinations outside India, such as Phillipines and east Europe could be pointers that needs to be watched.
Telecom service provider Tata TeleServices Ltd. (TTSL) announced the launch of DIALOG, a product that enables customers to connect to the internet on their television sets in Kokata and Chennai.
Customers can access the internet without a desktop or laptop, transforming the TV set into a multimedia device with the help of DIALOG.
On test for a period of three months , the service is expected to be launched all over India in the first quarter of 2011. This may help with internet penetration which is less than 1% currently.
Faced with rising unemployment and lower exports, China is now going India’s way of developing software and other services sector industries.
It is also opening up its social sectors like health and education to foreign investments. Automobile and appliance industries, which have been hit by the slide in exports are being offered state subsidy.
Both the moves on software exports and industrial subsidies, could be a cause of concern to the Indian industry. Indian and other foreign companies have been complaining of unfair trade practices by chinese firms who sell goods at cut throat prices on the strength of state subsidies.
The budget for 2010-11 presented by Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac has shown that the Information Technology sector is the darling of the Kerala Government, considering the fact that the allocation for the IT Department has been increased by 77 per cent to Rs 156 crores.
He announced that the ”Athulya”, the building complex at Infopark with a built-up area of 5.5 lakh square feet, Infopark at Cherthala, Technopark at Kottayam and the second phase of Infopark at Koratty would be completed during the coming year.
The Kerala State Information Technology Mission has been allocated Rs. 29 crore while Rs.6.80 crore was earmarked for the Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management. Another Rs.1.50 crore was provided for the International Centre for Free and Open Source Software. The Information Technology Infrastructure Company would be given Rs. 20 crore for the acquisition of land for different parks in Kozhikode, Cherthala, Ambalapuzha, Kannur and Kasaragod. The budget earmarked Rs. 22 crore for the development of the State Data Centre and Network Operation Centres in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode.
The only failure in the IT sector is the Smart City project, which appears in limbo, with a final agreement in the terms being unacceptable to the Dubai promoter. It is becoming apparant that this project will be a non-starter.
Finance Minister Thomas Isaac has proposed an increase in the outlay for the education sector by 50 per cent from Rs.208 crore to Rs.316 crore in the State budget for 2010-11.
The Finance Ministerr stated that 40 per cent of the amount of Rs 316 crores allocated to the education sector would be earmarked for school education.
The prime intention would be to raise the academic standard of school education and providing scholarships. In addition a sum of Rs 55 crores, including central Government share was allocated for Information technology education.
These proposals are supportive of Kerala IT Mission’s endeavour to upgrade the quality of English and soft skills of kerala’s school children , graduates and providing support in information technology based subjects for higher studies. Kerala needs to do this quickly, if it is to cash in on the growing requirements of the IT/ITES industry’s exacting requirements.
