Please pass your comments/suggestions/flames on this one. This article appeared in Saturday's Goan Observer weekly. http://www.goanobserver.com
regards, Samir THE ‘IT’ FACTOR BY SAMIR KELEKAR With growing animosity towards mining, real estate and tourism-related industries in the state, this is the best time to promote and develop information technology. GOA HAS a new IT minister. For the past three years, the IT ministry was a washout under the charge of Dayanand Narvekar. The IT Habitat at Dona Paula turned out to be a real estate park with only two genuine IT companies out of 18 being allotted land. The broadband network initiative turned out to be another drain on Goan resources. Narvekar fooled the Goan people. He did not reveal the fact that it would take Rs. Three crores a quarter to get the project going. He merely said United Telecom would invest the money required, which led people to believe that United Telecom was footing the bill. However, this amount was to be eventually billed to the Goa government. On the e-governance front, not much has been done. Though the state has been receiving awards, there isn’t much progress on the ground. Perhaps it is now time to introduce changes and make a new beginning in the field of IT. To do this effectively, a few suggestions can be easily implemented. First and foremost, all government officials, who need to use a computer, must be trained in basic usage of computers. These computers and networks have to be maintained well. Though purchasing new computers is always considered the preferred choice for obvious reasons, a cash-strapped government like ours would do well to maintain its computers at a low cost. MAINTENANCE IT is important to note that, in any IT service (or for that matter any project), the bulk of the work relates to maintenance and support. Installation and deployment is a one-time activity while support and maintenance are ongoing tasks. An IT project’s success cannot be determined only by spending money to buy equipment or by deploying software; its utility is established by observing the longevity of the equipment, how it is used and if it makes a marked difference in meeting the consumers’ needs. Of course, there aren’t many opportunities to make money on maintenance. Perhaps, that is why our government wants to start new projects and, later, neglects regular maintenance. It is the same with IT. With regard to maintaining government networks, if this job is contracted to local Goan companies, useful employment will be generated. Security of government computers is another concern. All computers need to have security software, such as anti-virus programmes, installed and regularly updated. If not, the government networks will be reduced to virus networks. Genuine IT and BPO companies should be invited to Goa. They could be allotted plots in the Verna Industrial Estate or given built-up premises on rent. The amount of space allotted should be linked to job creation. A clear business proposition can be offered to BPO and IT companies; the chances of them responding are high because salaries in Goa are lesser than in Bangalore. REVAMP ITG ALSO, the InfoTech Corporation of Goa needs to be revamped. Currently, the InfoTech Corporation is manned by incompetent people who are only capable of sycophancy. Instead, people who have worked in the IT industry and know the IT business should be roped in to qualitatively contribute to development in the sector. When I attended a board meeting of the InfoTech Corporation way back in 2005 (I was appointed as a director of the Corporation at the time), it seemed more like a meeting of real estate agents. Goans are good at the real estate business, but every business can’t be turned into a real estate venture just because there is more money in it. Another initiative that could be taken is the introduction of citizen services that could help e-governance. However, before doing this, the utility of services that were deployed in the past need to be reviewed. The Goa government boasts of setting up information kiosks and making land survey records and such information available to the public at the click of a mouse. But has this been useful or not? Are these services running well or do they need maintenance and support? E-GOVERNANCE PERHAPS a citizen’s committee can be formed to study current e-governance services and, based on their report, it can be decided if e-governance works in Goa or, if not, list the lacunae in this avenue. Here again, there is no need to employ Price Water House and Coopers and pay them lakhs of rupees to do this. If it is found that these services work well and are useful, simple things such as paying electricity bills can be done over the internet or through other special services. In Bangalore, citizens can pay electricity and water bills as well as apply for a new passport as well undertake several other tasks pertaining to government services thanks to the “Bangalore One” initiative. Something on the same lines could be started. In fact, such projects can be handed over to companies with strict instructions that only Goans can work on them. Genuine entrepreneurs working in the field of IT also need support. The sector of IT is very competitive and it is not easy for entrepreneurs to survive. On the positive side, IT only requires intellectual inputs and is a sustainable profession where wealth can be created from scratch. In this aspect, IT differs completely from professions such as real estate, which use the resources of the earth. The government would do well to put together a venture fund which genuine entrepreneurs can avail of to bootstrap their companies. There are a number of things that can be achieved if there is a genuine attempt by the government. For this, however, the IT minister should take the bull by the horns and get such projects implemented. Rest assured, genuine initiatives will get full support from IT industry and professionals. If we start working on IT now, ten years down the line, we won’t have to depend on mining, real estate and tourism - all non sustainable activities – to prop up the economy. Top>> © 2006. All rights reserved. Design by: www.goanobserver
