`State failed to keep pace with changes' 2-July-2005

IT sector was neglected for two decades: Chandy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #bul#State made only Rs.90 crores from IT sector #bul#Thalikkulam will be made first digital panchayat #bul#Applied science college set up at Valappad -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THRISSUR: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said the State had to pay heavily for not keeping pace with the developments that had been taking place in the information technology (IT) sector across the world during the last two decades. Speaking after declaring Thalikkulam as the second fully computerised panchayat in the country on Friday, the Chief Minister said the State could generate only Rs.90 crores from the IT sector while Karnataka was making about Rs.27,500 crores from it. Emphasising that computers had become an integral part of development, the Chief Minister said the State, however, chose to neglect it for a long time. Mr.Chandy said that Thalikkulam would be made the first digital panchayat in the country. The other Government offices in the panchayat area would also be computerised soon so that advantages of computerisation would be fully made available to the public. Education Minister E.T. Muhammed Basheer inaugurated the Friends Janasevana Kendram at the function. T.N. Prathapan, MLA, district panchayat president N.K. Subramanian, District Collector Premachandra Kurup and panchayat president Babu were among those who spoke on the occasion. IHRD fees Earlier, inaugurating the applied science college set up under the IHRD at Valappad, Mr. Chandy said the students belonging to the SC/ST sections in the IHRD colleges would get fee exemption. The Chief Minister gave this clarification when the local MLA drew his attention to the reports that the students belonging to the SC/ST sections had to pay fees this year at the time of admission. Inaugurating the decennial celebrations of the Kudumbasree Town CDS at Chalakkudy, Mr. Chandy praised the contributions of Kudumbasree Mission. He said the activities of the Mission were akin to a silent revolution that had been unleashed across the State to empower women. Describing the Kudumbasree programmes as one of the best activities of the State Government, the Chief Minister said the Government would extend all support to the projects. Minister for Rural Development C.F. Thomas also spoke. Three National Congress (Indira) activists were removed by the police for trying to wave black flags against the Chief Minister as he was leaving after the function at Chalakkudy. The Chief Minister also inaugurated the model residential school building for the SC/ST students at Nayarangadi in Kodassery panchayat and the buildings constructed by the Thrissur Corporation for providing space for women entrepreneurs at Ramavarmapuram, near the city. Source :The Hindu