Information and Communication (ICT) technologies are great enablers to achieve economies of scale. If properly built, institutionalized and governed they have a crucial role to play in government and social services for the people. ICT can be a good catalyst for transparency, good governance and accountability.

Information Technology also plays a crucial role in bridging the digital divide. The opening up of the telecom sector has resulted in one of the most social inclusive initiatives in post Independence India. Initiatives like E-choupal (ITC), Grameen Bank (Bangladesh) have proved the inclusive use of technology to reduce the information gap. ICT is also playing a crucial role in green initiatives – like GIS (Geographical Information Systems) that monitor forests coverage and change, smart buildings, electricity grids, automation in other environmental management systems and services.

The IT industry accounts for 2% of the global green house gas (GHG) emissions. Green data centers, virtual work places, teleconferencing and other collaborative technologies have a huge potential to reduce this. However this could be offset by the explosion in information resulting from increasing number of participants jumping on to the information bandwagon. While ICT is a great enabler, good governance, planning and considerations of social and cultural aspects are core factors in its effectiveness.

Schools/Colleges:

How can we use IT for tracking, informing and monitoring natural resources…at the community and national level? What can ICT do to take inclusion, good governance and services delivery to the next level? How do we develop local solutions, considering the diversity of the country? How can we resolve other global issues through the use of ICT?