ICTA opens 46 new islandwide Nenasalas within 3 months

Monday, 5 May 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Within a short span of three months, 46 new Nenasala centres were successfully opened islandwide, the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) announced. At present, ICTA has set up 765 Nenasalas island-wide, including in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, under the 1,000 Nenasala project based on a novel concept of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The objective of the Nenasala initiative is to extend the benefits of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to people spread across the country, from the urban and semi urban sectors to rural hinterlands.

ICTA expressed confidence of achieving its goal of successfully establishing 1,000 Nenasalas island-wide by the end of 2014. 1,000 Nenasalas initiative Commenting on the impressive results and accomplishments of the Nenasala project, Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technology Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said that the ICT literacy rate should be enhanced to 75% to achieve the objective of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to make Sri Lanka the knowledge hub of South Asia. “To work steadfastly towards this goal, it is, therefore, imperative to set up Nenasalas on an islandwide basis and impart ICT knowledge and expertise to people across the country,” he noted. Siyambalapitiya further said the Government’s initiative to set up 1,000 Nenasalas islandwide is being implemented irrespective of caste, creed, religious or ethnic differences. In pushing ahead with this project, it is also irrelevant whether a person is rich or poor, as all Sri Lankans, whatever their social strata may be, are true beneficiaries. ICT knowledge for rural communities Expressing his views on the impressive feat of launching 46 new Nenasala centres islandwide within just three months, ICTA Chairman Professor P. W. Epasinghe said these Nenasalas were opened with the primary objective of imparting ICT knowledge to rural communities. He said that the common masses, school children, young boys and girls aspiring for jobs and the business community can find ready access to Skype, internet, email and e-commerce facilities at these Nenasala centres, along with computer printing, scanning and a host of other facilities. In addition, students can also pursue modern ICT study programs at these Nenasalas, Prof. Epasinghe noted.