MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(DR.SHAKEEL AHMAD)
(a): Community Information Centres (CICs) are providing basic
services like Internet browsing, information dissemination, e-
mail, training in computer basics, desk top publishing (DTP), and
citizen-centric services to the local populace.
(b): No, Sir.
(c): Does not arise.
(d) to (g): Department of Information Technology (DIT) has
implemented a scheme in February 2002 for setting up of Community
Information Centre (CICs) in the North-East States using
Information Technology to accelerate socio-economic development of
the region under the economic package announced by the then Prime
Minister. To make the CICs self-sustaining, several citizen-
centric services have been implemented, training on computer
basics including courses offered by DOEACC and IGNOU (Indira
Gandhi National Open University) is conducted, and a bouquet of
services is provided. CICs have served a social cause of reaching
the unreached by integrating this remote region with mainstream.
As per the approval of the Government and MOU (Memorandum of
Understanding) with State Governments, operational control,
maintenance and management of CICs was to be handed over to State
Governments after completion of five years of project. State
Governments have shown inability to take over CICs on account of
financial constraints, and lack of revenue generation on account
of CICs mostly located in remote hilly areas where a population is
sparse. Keeping this in view, DIT has approved a bridging scheme
for implementation over a period of 2 years for managing and
facilitating the merger of existing CICs into Common Services
Centres (CSCs) being established in rural areas across the country
though Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) under the National e-
Governance Plan.
