IT Summit
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Governor RS Mooshahary on Thursday stated that Information Technology (IT) can be an important tool to fight against corruption.
“Using of IT as a tool to fight against corruption is very relevant especially when there is a demand across the country for a strong Jan Lok Pal Bill,” Mooshahary said while delivering his inaugural address at the two-day Meghalaya IT Summit under the theme “Community Empowerment in North East through ICT” here on Thursday.
He also believed that IT can help to bring about transparency and accountability in governance and also effectively address the burning issue of corruption.
The Governor however emphasised on the need for introduction of e-Governance to other departments to ensure effective, transparent and accountable government.
While informing that the use of the new technology has helped the State Government to increase its revenue generation, Mooshahary revealed that the introduction of the e-treasury has brought about an increase of 24 per cent in the collection of commercial taxes in the State.
He mentioned that 40 years back there was no subject as IT in schools or colleges. But, the technology has advanced so fast that now a major part of knowledge is covered by IT.
While pointing out that the growth of IT in the past 25 years has been commendable, the Governor said what was dream 30 years ago has now become a reality.
Earlier, Chief Secretary WMS Pariat rued that North Eastern Region’s (NER) GDP has suffered adversely after Independence as the boundaries and other geographical factors have reduced the trade and commerce opportunities earlier enjoyed by the indigenous tribes of the region.
But with Information and Communications Technology (ICT), the region now has an effective tool to negate and revive its economies, Pariat said, while proclaiming that ICT could address the issues of transport, difficult terrain, and lack of services, among others, which were inherent to the region.
He exhorted that there was need to not only initiate various programmes and projects especially IT related in the region but also to exploit the region’s potential and ensure equal participation by all communities.