The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) is going to lend technological support for the ‘Smart City’ initiative of Kakinada. The idea is to use information technology to ensure smooth completion of projects such as round-the-clock surveillance of the roads and public places, automation of utilities such as drinking water supply, payment of bills and improving green cover.
As part of it, the national body is going to conduct a brainstorming session here soon. Its senior members from New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore and the local officials and elected representatives along with citizens will participate in the deliberations. Once the modalities are finalised, the association will extend the necessary technological support to the civic body in pursuing the goals.
Issues on priority basis
“We have done similar projects in Belgaum and Madurai and from Andhra Pradesh we have picked up Kakinada to initiate the same,” Srikanth Srinivasan, Regional Director of the NASSCOM has told The Hindu . “We will put for discussion issues such as automation of utilities and e-waste management.
The discussion will definitely bring to the fore many other aspects from which we will pick issues one by one on priority basis to address them in a phased manner,” he says, pointing out that there will not be overnight solutions to problems.
At present, NASSCOM is providing skill development training for engineering students from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in a bid to bridge the gap between industry and institution and encourage setting up of start-up software firms. “We have decided to use the technology for the government’s ‘smart’ initiative. The Godavari IT Association (GITA) is assisting us in conducting the session in Kakinada,” Mr. Srinivasan says.
GITA to play key role
Nagaraj Alla, director of the Primesoft and president of the GITA, says members of the association have already discussed at length the project and decided to highlight a few issues related to the city during the discussion. “For example, two-way communication is important between the public and the officials. When citizens bring some issue to the notice of the officials in writing, they feel better if they received a reply in writing, along with the addressing of the issue in time. This can be done by using information technology,” he explains, while observing that technology simplifies many cumbersome tasks and makes the public get closure to the administration.
