Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

Computer training for Ministers

By Our Special Correspondent

Chennai April 25. After the computer training for MLAs, it will now be the turn of the State Cabinet to take lessons on computers.

For nearly a month till May 21, the Ministers will be taught how to use computers by a private software firm, the Information Technology Minister, D. Jayakumar, announced in the Assembly today, amid a lively debate during the question hour on the ongoing computer classes for the MLAs.

It all started with the Rasipuram MLA, P.R. Sundaram's remark that he was picking up computer operations swiftly through the training programme, but the Government should provide refresher courses periodically at the District Collectorates to ensure that he remembered them a few months later.

Replying, the Minister said the MLAs could go to the training centres of the private firm which was teaching them at the Secretariat now.

The CPI MLA, V. Sivapunniam, quickly pointed out that the instructor was writing out "Amma" while teaching them Photoshop, a software programme. The AIADMK MLAs were drawing out "Two Leaves" and he was sketching "sickle and hammer."

As the House burst into laughter, the Minister, recalling a popular MGR film song, said, "Without my mother, I am nobody; No one is born without a mother" (Thayillamal naanillai, thane evarum pirappathillai).

Swifly agreeing with the Minister, the AIFB member, L. Santhanam, asked if the Government would also conduct exams for the MLAs undergoing the computer training. "We are ready. Are you ready?" the Minister shot back, triggering another round of mirth.

When C. Gnanasekaran (Congress) claimed that the youth and the elderly were browsing pornography sites, the Minister said the Society for Electronic Transactions and Security which would be set up in Chennai would come up with solutions to block such sites via satellites.

To a query from Paul Manoj Pandian (AIADMK), the Minister said the Government would take necessary steps to get the Information Technology Act amended to check the computer firms cheating students with false promises of job placements abroad.

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