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Friday, 20 September 2013 02:32 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
that the benefits of ICT are accrued to all. The Minister said so while inaugurating 21 new Nenasalas (Wisdom Outlets) in the North recently. Speaking further on the occasion the Minister emphasised that the President desired that every child develops his/her talents to the utmost.
The Nenasalas set up island-wide including the 21 set up in the North on 16 and 17 September were proof of this. “Every child irrespective of his place of birth, language spoken, religion practised or any other such factor is very precious to the President,” the Minister added.
Under the instruction of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) had made arrangements to set up 41 new Nenasala Rural Telecentres in the Northern Province. For this the ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) had invited applications from eligible community-based organisations. These Nenasalas are implemented under the responsibility of the relevant CBOs under ICTAs supervision. 
The first 21 of these new Nenasalas were inaugurated on the 16 and 17 September by Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya. ICTA representatives including ICTA CEO Reshan Dewapura, ICTA Information Infrastructure Program Manager Gavaskar Subramaniam, Telecommunication and Information Technology Ministry representatives, representatives from CBOs, students and the general public of the area concerned participated in the inauguration.
The ICTA Chairman Professor E.W. Epasinghe said that the aim of setting up these Nenasalas is to accelerate the equipping of people with knowledge about information technology as well as providing them with IT facilities. This coincides aptly with the economic development taking place in the North with the dawn peace in the country.
Speaking on the occasion ICTA CEO Reshan Devapura said that the Nenasla project was the flagship project implemented under the guidance of the President for bringing the dividends of ICT to the village. It was significant that on 16 September 2013 this project, which began with Nenasala No. 1 at Kirivehera in the South on 1 January 2005, hit the 700 mark with the Point Pedro Kottadi Women’s Village Development Society Nenasala – Arivaham. The setting up of the other 20 Nenasalas followed within 24 hours. This is a good sign that the country is on the path of great progress.
Devapura also said that the President was deeply keen on the ICT skills improvement and the concomitant improvement in the standard of life of all people without discrimination. The setting up of these new Nenasalas was clear evidence of this. Representatives of the newly inaugurated Nenasalas expressed their gratitude to the President and all others who had had a stake in the setting up of these Nenasalas.
The facilities provided at the Nenasalas include facilities to use the skype and e-Services.
IT courses suitable for youths and school children are to be provided at these centres. Other services made available are photocopying, colour printing, binding and laminating.
The ICTA says that once the 41 new Nenasalas are in place, the total number of Nenasalas in the Northern Province will be 59. This will comprise Nenasalas in the Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Mullaitivu, and Vavuniya Districts.
The whole Nenasala project is a concept of the President as the country’s flagship project for making the maximum benefits of ICT reach all, especially the remotest villager.
Currently there are 720 Nenasalas island-wide.
