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Most of us will remember the time when cable TV was first making an appearance
in India. As cable moved on an upward curve, so did its popularity with the
country’s political pilots. Who can forget the “video raths” that dotted the country’s
electioneering landscape, carrying the messages of the BJP and Rashtriya Janta Dal.
Of course, IT is already very hot with the country’s leaders at the central and state
government level. While India’s IT Minister, Mr. Pramod Mahajan, is already doing
well to keep the IT flag flying, he also has adequate help from the rest of the
political fraternity across the country. The trend that NASSCOM (National
Association of Software and Service Companies) put into motion by encouraging
the state of Andhra Pradesh to clamber on to the IT bandwagon, and create a
strong orientation, has now snowballed into a major movement involving at least
18
other key Indian states. NASSCOM is advising the chief ministers of these
states on matters relating to IT, and how to harness this new powerhouse.
The IT industry has also been instrumental in hastening the creation of a
cyber law regime—an action that has placed India among the leading nations
of the world that have such a regulated environment. The software lobby,
represented by NASSCOM, actually made presentations to 14 key political
parties in India on the nature and crucial need for rules and procedures to
monitor the Internet domain.
The proof of the pudding is obviously in the eating. It took just two days after the
educational sessions, for the IT Bill to clear both houses of Parliament. In fact, the
Leader of the Opposition and Congress President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi has been
backing IT to the hilt. Four chief ministers S.M. Krishna (Karnataka), Ashok Gehlot
(
Rajasthan), Vilasrao Deshmukh (Maharashtra), and Digvijay Singh—have also played
an important role in spreading the IT message among the masses.
Therefore, it’s important to impress upon the country’s political conscience-keepers
that IT is vital for the future growth of the nation and its successful implementation will
enhance the flavors of the four Es—education, employment, entrepreneurship
and e-governance. India today needs “smart” governments, and “smart” governments
need IT savvy politicians who not only understand the value of automation,
but also have a feel of how its benefits can be filtered down to the country’s masses.
To begin with, the central and state governments have to construct a strong IT
agenda. The plan of action involves the chief ministers going all out to attract IT
