WB funding for second phase of e-Sri Lanka

The World Bank has agreed to fund the second phase of the highly successful eSri Lanka programme of the Government.

The breakthrough was revealed by Secretary to President Lalith Weeratunga during his address at the inauguration of the INET Colombo 2011 in Colombo early this week. Several distinguished experts in ICT from abroad and Sri Lanka shared their knowledge and expertise at the two-day conference, the INET Colombo 2011.

“The e-Sri Lanka programme is almost at its final destination. I am more than pleased to inform you that the World Bank has pledged funds for the second phase of the e-Sri Lanka programme which World Bank in their own terms hail as one of their flagship projects.

Many school and community level projects with the assistance of the Government have reached higher levels of success,” Weeratunga said.

He listed several of them including the Nenasala (the regional telecentre programme and the network) and the school ICT lab network.

“The rural community could get internet facility at very low cost through the Nenasala network, which we now plan, with the blessings of the ICTA and the stewardship of the chairman to elevate these as e-Life centres,” Weeratunga added. However, he emphasised that the prime objective of Nenasala is not only providing villages with internet facilities but also a way of changing citizens’ lifestyles with knowledge sharing mechanisms.

Weeratunga during his address also said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s practical and down-to-earth attitude made the best benefits of ICT reach all the people. The Daily FT will run the full speech of President’s Secretary Lalith Weeratunga tomorrow.