Digital solutions for inclusive growth

SPEAKER INAUGURATES SIKITEX 2012 AT CHINTAN BHAWAN
GANGTOK, 22 Nov: The fourth edition of SIKITEX and third edition of e-North East Award Summit was inaugurated by the Speaker Sikkim Legislative Assembly, KT Gyaltsen today here at Chintan Bhawan.
The two-day programme on the theme ‘Digital Inclusion for Inclusive growth in North East India’ is being organized by the department of Information and Technology and North East Development Foundation [NEDF].
SIKITEX was launched in the year 2009 as a flagship IT programme of the state which focuses on showcasing and exhibiting best ICT solutions and practices including e-Gov solutions relevant for public sector programmes across Departments in Sikkim and other NE states. Likewise, the e-North East Award Summit, started in 2010, is about scouting good practices in ICT for development and governance in North East India. The focus is on citizen services delivery, health, education, livelihood, enterprise promotion, and youth and Department of Information Technology, women empowerment in the region.
This two-day event will have five special plenary sessions by experts and the e-North East Award 2012 apart from exhibition stalls by different IT related companies and organisations from in and outside the state in the main venue itself.
In his inaugural address, the Speaker mentioned that the event aims not only to showcase the initiatives taken by the State government in the IT domain but would also provide a platform for a healthy deliberation from different stakeholders and to know about advancements in the IT sector.
He further mentioned that the state government has been giving emphasis in building a productive human resource in the state through various activities. He stressed that e-governance is an important component of a good government and the state government has seriously started work in this line already.
The Speaker urged for fruitful outcome from every discussion and deliberation in this two-day event for the benefit of the common people.
Likewise, IT Minister, NK Pradhan spoke about the various IT projects and initiatives taken by the state government in the state.
“The state government is very serious about the implementation of e-governance in the state and e-tendering has already been in practice by the government. The Chief Minister takes the latest developments in the IT sector very seriously and has been trying to develop the IT sector in the state”, said Mr Pradhan.
He also pointed out that Sikkim has the best literacy rate in the country so it offers better prospects for IT development in the state as IT has been a popular subject in the state.
NEDF Lead Partner, Syed S Kazi said that with an event like SIKITEX, Sikkim has been moving forward in the IT domain and has set an example for other states to follow in their respective areas. He also presented some brief information about the NEDF and its activities.
The inaugural session was also addressed by Sikkim University Vice Chancellor, Prof TB Subba, Founder Director of Digital Empowerment Foundation & member of Working Group on Internet Governance, Department of Electronics & IT under Ministry of C&IT, Osama Manzar, Sikkim Manipal University Vice Chancellor, Brig [Dr] Somnath Mishra, Group Director SMB, Microsoft, Sushant Dwivedy and SAAS Communication Director, Subhashis Sur.
The inaugural session started with the welcome address by IT Secretary, KK Pradhan and ended with the vote of thanks by IT Principal Director, Rajesh Verma.

SIKITEX-4 and 3rd e-North East Award Summit begin Thursday

GANGTOK, 20 Nov: The fourth edition of SIKITEX and the 3rd e-North East Award Summit 2012 is going to be held at Chintan Bhawan here in Gangtok on 22 and 23 November and is being organized by the Department of Information Technology, Human Resource Development Department and North East Development Foundation, informed KK Pradhan [Secretary, IT Department] while addressing a press conference at the venue this afternoon.
This edition of SIKITEX is being held with much stronger focus on how Information Communication Technology [ICT] tools and applications can provide need-based and sustainable solutions to the problems of connectivity, public service delivery and building trust in governments in North East India, he added.
There are going to be over 40 stalls from the NE States and various other private parties from over the country, of which 10 are also from Sikkim, informed Rajesh Verma [Principal Director, IT Department] and added that there will also be one stall displaying IT tools for the disabled. The Namgyal Institute of Tibetology [NIT] situated at Deorali will also be showcasing their digitization of the various scriptures of the monasteries of Sikkim, he stated.
SIKITEX was launched in the year 2009 as a flagship IT programme of Sikkim, he said and added that the focus of SIKITEX is on showcasing and exhibiting best ICT solutions and practices including e-Gov solutions relevant for public sector programmes across departments in Sikkim and other NE states. In the past three editions, more than 200 exhibitors, producers and innovators have showcased their innovative solutions, he informed.
Speaking during the conference, Syad S Kazi, Chief Executive of North East Development Foundation [NEDF] stated that the 3rd e-North East Award Summit, an annual feature and an initiative of NEDF would also be held in the evening of 23 November, after the IT event. This is the first time the award function is being held in Sikkim, while the first was held in Assam the second was held in Nagaland, he added.
This year, the Award Summit will recognize and felicitate 27 winners, special mentions, special jury mentions and finalists in as many as 12 categories, he said and added that this year there were a total of 81 nominations of which these 27 have been selected. The award summit is about scouting good practices in ICT for development and governance in NE India and the focus is on citizen services delivery, health, education, livelihood, enterprise promotion and youth and women empowerment in the region, he stated.
He further informed about the five technical sessions which will be held during the two-day event where 22 presenters and about 10 to 15 special invitees [well known personalities from the NE] will be delivering their presentations and addressing the gathering. The theme of the inaugural day is ‘Digital inclusion for inclusive growth in North East India.’
Others supporting this major ICT event as partners are North Eastern Council, National Internet Exchange of India, Digital Empowerment Foundation [New Delhi], NASSCOM, Internet Society, Sikkim Manipal University, Microsoft, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology, VAR India, IAMAI, AVAYA and others.

Sikkim’s IT plans unveiled at SIKITEX 2011

MELLI-DARA PANCHAYAT PRESIDENT GK RAI CONFERRED “SIKITEX IT PERSON OF THE YEAR 2011”
ANUSHA GURUNGGANGTOK, 24 Nov: SIKITEX-2011, IT Exhibition and Conference, was inaugurated by the Speaker, Sikkim Legislative Assembly, KT Gyaltsen, here at Chintan Bhawan today. The two-day event is being held on the theme, “education and health technologies”, and has been organized by the Department of Information Technology for the third consecutive year.

‘Education and Health Technologies’ to be showcased at SIKITEX-2011

ANUSHA GURUNGGANGTOK, 22 Nov: SIKITEX, the Information Technology Exhibition and Conference, is being organized on the theme “education and health technologies” this year by the Department of Information Technology on 24 and 25 November at Chintan Bhawan.