KTR seeks ITIR-like project for Telangana

Hyderabad: IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao urged the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology (PSCIT) to recommend to the Centre to allot a project similar to ITIR to Telangana or provide an additional incentive for the youngest State to take the IT sector to new heights. KTR urged the committee to highlight the […]

Hyderabad: IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao urged the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology (PSCIT) to recommend to the Centre to allot a project similar to ITIR to Telangana or provide an additional incentive for the youngest State to take the IT sector to new heights.

KTR urged the committee to highlight the efforts being taken up by States such as Telangana and recommend special assistance.

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The PSCIT, chaired by MP Shashi Tharoor, lauded the efforts of the State government in the development of IT and the use of technology in governance. It is here to study the infrastructure and policies to recommend the best practices that can be adopted by other States at the national level.

Making a presentation on ‘State Initiatives and Digital Telnagana’ to the PSCIT, the Minister requested the government of India to hand over the National Optical Fibre Network Phase 1 Gram Panchayats to T-Fiber.

The delay was affecting the rollout for the new Gram Panchayats. Four of the top tech companies have their largest campuses outside of the US in Hyderabad, he said, adding, it worked with the IT industry that resulted in IT exports and employment generated touching new highs.

The State had launched a single-window clearance system in the form of TS-iPass. He also explained about innovation enablers like T-Hub, WE-Hub, Agri-Hub, B-Hub, RICH, T-Works that Telangana has started.

KTR also explained about the digital payments ecosystem, Telangana’s co-branded digital wallet, TWallet, land record management system Dharani which has so far seen close to nine lakh slots booked, contactless citizen service delivery, initiatives in emerging technologies and improving connectivity through T-Fiber.

Telangana addressed the challenges in digital payments by keeping the charges minimal to the consumers compared with business entities by negotiating with banks and payment gateway providers. TWallet can be used to make payments for 1,126 services from 27 departments.

The State also sought directions on additional funding from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) for connecting inhabited villages in Phase 2 of the project. Telangana has already sought additional funding of Rs 1,200 crore as an advance to the project.

Stressing the use of technology, the IT Minister said Telangana developed a real-time digital authentication of identity (RTDAI) that provides easy, convenient and correct authentication of citizen’s identity through a smartphone. The effort is towards presenceless, contactless, and paperless services to the citizens anytime and anywhere.

Telangana is using this in the transport department, for pensioner life certificates through selfie and degree online admission among others. The State is also focusing on emerging technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence, drones and robotics, cloud computing, cyber security and e-waste.

The PSCIT said Telangana already has some programmes which are worth emulating by other States. The panel was especially impressed by digital governance, incubators to nurture innovation and T-Fiber projects.

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