Institutions under IT Department to be reorganised: Palanivel Thiaga Rajan
The Minister says a restructuring on principles of specialisation and complementarity has been proposed to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of the entities in service delivery
Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services P.T.R. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan on Friday said in the Tamil Nadu Assembly that the Electronic Corporation of Tamil Nadu Limited (ELCOT) will develop an information technology (IT) park/office space on a 3.60-acre land parcel at the Perungudi Industrial Estate. In order to drive utilisation of advanced research-based deep tech inventions and to support deep tech start-ups, the government will release a Tamil Nadu Deep Tech Policy this year, he said.
He also noted that institutions such as the ELCOT, Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency (TneGA), Tamil Nadu Fibrenet Corporation (TANFINET), Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation (TACTV), ICT Academy of Tamil Nadu (ICTACT), TVA, and the iTNT Hub. These institutions, setup over the last four decades, have various overlapping functions and roles. Hence, a reorganisation of the institutions on principles of specialisation and complementarity has been proposed to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery. Each of these institutions will be governed as Section 8 companies to ensure transparency and accountability.
ICTACT will establish an Applied Research Centre in Information and Communication Technology. It will serve as a bridge between academic research and industry applications, ensuring that cutting-edge findings are translated into practical solutions. The centre will also offer advanced training programmes and hands-on experiences, equipping the next generation of scientists, engineers, and technologists with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing technological landscape.
Mr. Thiaga Rajan said over the last two years, Tamil Nadu is the leader in patent filing in India, with 12,948 patents, mainly being driven by deep tech innovations. To establish the State as an intellectual property (IP) capital, and to promote IP commercialisation by facilitating technology transfers between academia, researchers, innovators, and start-ups and industry, the government will organise an annual “Innovate in Tamil Nadu (IN2 TN) conclave”.
He said given the increasing reliance on e-Governance and a data-driven approach, it has become imperative to create and enforce standards in the areas of application development, data hosting, data sharing, and cyber security through a dedicated, independent organisation that is at an arms distance from the implementing agencies such as TNeGA and ELCOT. Hence, it has been proposed to re-purpose and segregate the Directorate of e-Governance with standard setting and enforcement wings to ensure a secure transition of governance to a digital, paperless era.
During the fiscal 2024-25, TANFINET will connect 30,000 government health service providers, including Primary Health Centres, government colleges, and other institutions in remote areas, with high-speed and affordable internet. This initiative will enable government departments to deliver a comprehensive range of services seamlessly to rural people, Mr. Thiaga Rajan added.
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