India agrees to help Govt. to make E-Sri Lanka a reality

Photo – Minister for Economic Reforms, Science and Technology Milinda Moragoda (right) with India’s Minister for Information Technology and Communication Pramod Mahajan during their meeting in New Delhi this week

Minister Milinda Moragoda, Minister for Economic Reforms, Science and Technology as a special representative of Sri Lanka Government met Minister Pramod Mahajan, Minister for Information Technology and Communication of India at New Delhi recently.

The objectives and plans of E-Sri Lanka project, which was initiated recently by Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe, were revealed at this meeting. The two ministers had long discussions about the development and benefit of Information Technology sector in both the countries.

The two ministers agreed to exchange preparatory groups in order to sign a treaty to promote the experience of both the countries in computer and information communication sector.

Attention was made to obtain Indian support to Sri Lanka in popularizing information technology in sectors such as state ruling, Industries, Enterprise Development and Education.

The ministers discussed about introducing rules that are currently not existing in Sri Lanka and some recent acts that had approved by Parliament of India in order to develop information technology sector were considered by minister Moragoda.

Minister Moragoda explained about the Multimedia University, which is under construction with the aid of Multi Media University in Malaysia and said Japan has agreed to provide aid for this program. He also explained that if Indian information technology sector can involve in this program it will enable to establish a Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka triangular Multimedia University which will provide international education of Sri Lanka youth.

Minister Moragoda said that telecommunication and computer technology is not yet developed in distant areas in Sri Lanka and revealed the desire of our country to establish communication centres and cyber cafes in villages.

Minister Pramod Mahajan said that the Multimedia University can be connected to Andra and Malayanadu States in India and informed about the program launched by Indian government to provide at least one telephone to each village in India.