Port Blair, Sept 21: The Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association has demanded establishment of a full-fledged Directorate of Information & Technology under the Andaman and Nicobar Administration. In a letter sent to the Chief Secretary, Andaman and Nicobar Administration, Shri D. Ayyappan, General Secretary of the Association said that at present, activities related to Information & Technology are being carried out from the premises of the Dr BR Ambedkar Institute of Technology (DBRAIT) at Pahargaon with the Principal, BRAIT having been designated as Special Secretary (IT). He stated that establishment of a separate Directorate of Information & Technology will further boost the IT related works in these islands. Similarly, various issues/problems of the employees in the IT Cadre are not being addressed properly and timely due to lack of infrastructure facilities, staff and officers in the IT Department.
Shri Ayyappan informed the Chief Secretary that Systematic implementation and monitoring of various centrally sponsored IT Projects will facilitate the common citizens of the islands to avail the government service at their doorsteps through a transparent and hassle free system. He further stated that in order to face the challenge in the IT sector, there is an urgent need to have a separate Directorate of Information & Technology under a Director with adequate administrative and technical staff for addressing the problems being faced by the IT Cadre employees and to maintain pace of development in the field of IT in A & N Islands at par with other States/UTs.
The Association demanded to examine this issue and take necessary steps to set up a separate Directorate of Information & Technology under the Andaman and Nicobar Administration in order to have effective implementation of various IT related activities including the National e Governance Programme (NeGP) in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Well said by NGGO, this is utmost required, since its HOD and other ancillary staff should have a regular PG / Degree in IT and that too with sufficient experience in same field.
Its good idea the matter should be taken up with the Ministry of Information technology, especially when we have already planned and started taking a leap in the e-governance. Simultaneously we must also strive to put the availability of internet access even in remote villages of Middle & North Andaman and Southern group of Islands, so that the energies and talents of coming generations are channelised in a proper and fruitful manner.