Kohima: With an aim to promote technology among a cross spectrum of the Naga society – students, entrepreneurs, NGOs, government officials and industry professionals – the Nagaland government partnered with the industry to host the hilly State’s first IT summit here on 27th May.
Christened E-Naga Summit, it was jointly organised by Nagaland’s Department of Information Technology and Communication (IT&C), in association with the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII). The theme of the summit was ‘Ideas and Solutions to transform Northeast India through Information Communication Technology’.
The highlight of the first IT summit was the signing of Memorandum of Understanding between the State Government and the Software Technology Parks of India to establish software parks in Kohima and Dimapur.
Earlier, Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang, who was absent during the inauguration but his speech read out by Chief Secretary Pankaj Kumar, said information technology and electronic media were playing a major role in building a knowledge-led economy and India was looking at the Northeastern states to boost economic growth.
‘We have hardly experienced the local industrial revolution and it is now time for us to use IT for delivering government services and promote e-governance to balance the peculiar situation in which we are placed,’ the Chief Minister said in his message.
Zeliang praised the Department of IT&C for taking the initiative of promoting IT in the frontier State and organising the e-Naga summit. He hoped that the initiative will bear fruit and help the State in adapting to the changing situations.
The Chief Minister also expressed the hope that someday Nagaland, which is known more for festivals, will also be known as the land of e-Governance.
IT&C Minister Paiwang Konyak, who too was present, said that summit will showcase the importance of e-Governance and information communication technology in bringing about a visible socio-economic change in the society.
He reiterated his department’s commitment to work for the youth and disadvantaged people while also creating employment and business opportunities for the educated youth and entrepreneurs. (ENe)