Srinagar, July 23: The Kashmir University Friday bagged an award for its role in implementation of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the education system.
 The KU Vice-Chancellor, Prof Riyaz Punjabi received the WISITEX-ICT Ratna 2010 award at the Lalit Grand Palace on the Dal banks.
 The award was presented to Prof Punjabi by the Minister for Higher Education, Abdul Gani Malik during a daylong conference on e-governance and information technology in Jammu and Kashmir, organized by the state government.
 Others who received the awards for various contributions to public life included J&K Bank , STPT J&K. DOEACC J&K and NIC.
 Speaking on the occasion, Malik said he was “happy to see that Kashmir University had taken a lead in introducing e-governance in its dealings.”
 The Minister for Information Technology, Aga Syed Rohulla, highlighted the importance of e-governance in the contemporary world.
 “If we have to prosper and keep pace with the fast moving world, it is important that we take a lead on the path of e-governance,” he said, calling for “capacity building of the stakeholders to see e-governance projects flourish.”
 The KU VC thanked the organizers for recognizing the efforts of the university vis-à-vis ICT implementation.
 “It is the IT which can to a great level bring about transparency and efficiency in the system,” he said. “Despite resistance at several levels, the dream of IT implementation has been accomplished in the university,” he added.
 He urged the government to declare KU as a centre of excellence in Information technology.
 “KU has already completed its linkage with 19 valley colleges and after this, we are moving to higher secondary schools for the IT implementation,” he told the delegates.
 “Our aim is to bridge the gap between academics and industry through the establishment of Advanced Centre of Information Technology which shall also include development of the necessary support structure for the development of the IT Industry.”
 Principal Secretary to CM, Khursheed Ahmad Ganai said there was “tendency in our state to look at government for everything.” “But to see the e governance in the state become a reality, initiatives must come from the private sector as well… The massive programme of capacity building in various government departments has to be done,” he added.
 The J&K Bank chairman, Dr Haseeb A Drabu said technology has to be there as an “enabler of business and not as an industry”. He referred to the need for making use of the technology as a crisis management tool and said this could help provide education to children in difficult periods.
 Dr Manohar Lal Sharma MoS IT also spoke on the occasion. Atal Daloo Commissioner Secretary, IT was also present.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 24 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST