Question : HARDWARE EXPORTS

(a) whether the National Advisory Committee on IT met recently to identify strategies for the promotion of Hardware and to raise its export to $10 billion by 2008;

(b) if so, the strategy planned by the Government in this regard;

(c) steps being initiated to reduce the mismatch between Software and Hardware;

(d) whether the report of the working group on IT constituted last year was also discussed; and

(e) if so, the steps being taken by the Government to give the benefit of IT revolution to the masses and achieve the ambitious target of at least 100 million internet connections by 2008?

MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI PRAMOD MAHAJAN)

(a) and (b): The target of Hardware exports of US $ 10 billion by the year 2008 has already been set by the National Task Force on IT and Software Development. The National Advisory Committee on IT which met on 15.01.2001 therefore did not discuss any specific strategy for the same.

(c): Government has taken certain measures as given in the Annexure to promote Electronics Hardware Sector; and consequently to reduce the mismatch between Software and Hardware.

(d): No, Sir.

(e): Does not arise.