Taking forward the mission of the ongoing Digital India Week, the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIElIT), a body with the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY), Ministry of Communications and IT, Government of India has spread the message of digital literacy through a cycle rally from Electronics Niketan (CGO Complex) to Harijan Basti (Valmiki Colony), Mandir Marg, with a view to sensitise the local residents of Harijan Basti about digital India, which is an enabling framework, irrespective of age, gender, caste or religion. 50-60 officials of NIElIT, DeitY, Industry, et al. participated in the cycle rally followed by an interactive session with the local residents led by Ashwini Kumar Sharma, managing director, of the institute. RS Sharma, IAS, secretary, DeitY flagged off the cyclists from Electronics Niketan.
The institute officials elaborated on the benefits of various e-Governance initiatives, including digital literacy, Swacch Bharat, Make-in-India et al.. The initiative showcased the Government’s initiatives to make access to technology and governance an extremely easy process, besides highlighting the endeavour in ensuring that the information regarding various schemes of the Government reach every citizen of the country. The local residents were enlightened through on-the-spot demo sessions about the Government’s effort to make technology more accessible and meaningful for the public at large, through new initiatives such as digital locker, e-hospital, national scholarship portal and others.
Flagging off the Cycle Rally, Sharma said, “A strong base will enable us to take forward the digital India mission and build a knowledge economy. As such, it is imperative that we reach out to all corners and sections of society and educate them about digitisation.”
Ashwini Kumar Sharma, managing director, NIElIT said, “It is our humble endeavour through the cycle rally to move beyond religion, caste, class to spread awareness about the various components of digital India, especially to the underprivileged sections of society.”
The institute has trained over 20 lakh students in the last two decades across 31 centres, besides a network of about 900 accredited training partners and nearly 6,000 facilitation centres. More than nine lakh candidates have been skilled by NIElIT in 2013-14 as against about four lakh in the previous year (2012-13). Many Universities have accorded recognition to the institute’s non-formal courses, for lateral entry to formal courses, such as MCA, MBA et al.. However, in-line with the Government’s thrust on the digital India campaign, the institute has also set an ambitious target of training 55 lakh students in ICT for jobs, ESDM and digital marketing courses in the coming years.