The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased acceptance of digital technologies in Visakhapatnam, the main industrial hub of the State.
Almost 90% of the IT and IT-Enabled Services (ITES) have opted for work from home (WFH) for their employees by incorporating new processes and changing the reporting structure.
“Over 20,000 employees working in 156 IT and ITES firms have gone for WFH,” Software Technology Parks of India Joint Director M.P. Dubey told The Hindu .
Another positive development is the growing acceptance of online module of teaching by the educational institutions during the lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“Even some of the schools and tutorials are teaching via the video link,” he pointed out.
Citizen-centric apps
He said that about 15 IT companies developed citizen-centric apps to mitigate the sufferings induced by the COVID-19.
Giving a fillip to the ‘Digital India’ campaign, many consumers are using digital wallets and gateways for various payments. Leveraging technologies has become the order of the day.
“We are supplementing the government’s efforts to contain the situation by integrating everything – from tracking, data entry to testing – to give a 360 degree view for quick decision-making,” said G. Muralikrishna, managing director of Fluentgrid, a company involved in seamless digital transformation of utilities and cities for a sustainable future.
Painting a rosy picture about digital transformation, IT Association of Andhra Pradesh (ITAAP) president R.L. Narayana said the pandemic had underscored the significance of Industry 4.0.
“A company’s future will be decided on its preparedness for acceptance of automation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotic technologies,” he stated.
