‘Information & Communication Technology will improve peoples’ lives’

A senior state government official on Friday strongly advocated greater use of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) saying it could go a long way in improving peoples' lives.

"Information & Communication Technology is a means for improving peoples' lives. It can help people who have migrated and can also be effective in preventing migration," Ravi Saxena, additional chief secretary, Science & Technology department, said.
He was speaking at 'ICT in Urban Renewal', a workshop organised by Governance Now and Sap India.

Saxena said rapid urbanisation was being witnessed in the state and country, but it was not the most desirable thing. "Urbanisation arising out of migration essential means increased poverty levels. ICT can play a role in reducing migration by creating jobs in rural areas," he said.

The senior official said ICT could also be put to good use for providing better health services, and cited an example of the 108 emergency medical services. He also said a non-emergency medical service - 104 - was in the offing in the state which would also use ICT.

Earlier, BV Rao, editor, Governance Now said the world was in the middle of two distinct phenomena - rapid urbanisation and ICT.