SMT. SUMITRA MAHAJAN UNDERLINES THE NEED FOR REGULAR UPGRADATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

NINTH SESSION OF APT’s GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONCLUDES

MINISTER TO ADDRESS THE 26^TH SESSION OF THE MANAGING COMMITTEE OF APT ON OCTOBER 28, 2002

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The Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology, Smt. Sumitra Mahajan has said that the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) demands a regular change aimed at upgradation and value addition for raising the standard of living of the people. Presiding over the Closing Ceremony of the 9^th Session of the General Assembly of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT), here today, Smt. Mahajan said that the success of ICT depended on cooperation and we need to extend this cooperation at every level in the society and added that organisations like the APT could play a very important role in this respect.

Smt. Mahajan said that no individual, Government or organisation could afford to ignore or undermine the importance of the ICT. She said although the transformation from agricultural society to the industrial society must have taken several hundred years, the change from industrial society to an information based society has been very quick, rather few years, which is going to have a far reaching impact on the society than any other revolution.

The Minister said that the revised APT constitution envisages promotion and expansion of telecommunication services and information infrastructure and the maximisation of the benefits of the technology for the welfare of the people of the region. In other words, the people are the ultimate beneficiary of the services. She said that this was a laudable step by the APT reflecting their concern for the people.

Lauding the efforts of APT, Smt. Mahajan said that it has served the region efficiently since its inception in 1979 and added that the revised Constitution will help the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity in further enhancing its effectiveness and retaining its leadership.

Smt. Sumitra Mahajan will also address the 26^th Session of the Managing Committee of APT which will commence from 28^th –31^st October, 2002. During its meeting, the Managing Committee will discuss several key issues concerning Telecommunications and Information and Communication Technology, including infrastructure development, radio communications, human resource development, inter regional and intra regional cooperation, besides policy and regulation. The Management Committee will also review the work programme for the year 2002 and will decide the work programme for the year 2003.

Asia-Pacific Telecommunity, a leading inter-governmental organisation for Communication and IT for the Asia-Pacific Region, was established by the United Nations ESCAP and the International Telecommunication Union in July 1979. It has a strength of 32 full members, 4 Associate Members, 51 Affiliate Members and 48 Participating Companies. The Headquarters of the organisation is located at Bangkok.