BHUBANESWAR: The National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) Foundation has started ground work for a digital literacy programme in the tribal areas of the State.The first ever project in tribal belts of the country aims at making people, mostly STs, digitally literate so that they can reap the benefits of different welfare schemes and take advantage of handhold devices.
Nasscom Foundation CEO Shrikant Sinha said, a partner institution is conducting a study in Odisha about the level of digital literacy people have and the penetration of mobile and internet. “Once the study result is out, we will prepare the detailed project report. Thereafter, we would seek approval from the State Government to run the programme in all tribal districts in Odisha,” he told The Express.
The literacy programme will have a 20-hour study module like the national digital literacy module that is being offered in the country. “Digital literacy is what no one can ignore. If we are able to take digital literacy to the tribal belt, I think it will do a lot of good to them. They can understand their entitlements, rights and how will they be able to access various Government schemes,” Sinha hoped.
MoU with Trident Group
Nasscom has signed an MoU with Trident Group of Institutions for setting up a ‘thingQbator’, which is one of the five Internet of Things (IoT) based incubator facilities being set up in the country with the funding support from CISCO Inc.
Four other higher academic institutions selected for the purpose to empower next generation entrepreneur ecosystem are Amrita University at Coimbatore, Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women at New Delhi, Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management, Kerala and IIT-BHU.
Among others, Trident Group Executive Director RN Satpathy and Niti Aayog consultant BN Satpathy were present.