SHILLONG, JULY 2:Meghalaya Information Technology minister AL Hek on Thursday said “Digital India” initiative is going to be a game-changer for the economy of Meghalaya during the inauguration of the workshop on ‘mobile telephony: digital inclusion and health aspects.’ He amplified the telecom sector’s role on the state and country’s economy.”
Stating that facilitating ‘Digital North-East’’’ is a way to oversee the success of the “Digital India” initiative, Hek said, “We hope to experience accelerated economic growth in Meghalaya by backing adequate mobile telecom networks that will help people connect with each other, exchange information and take decisions.”
Hek, however, there have been impediments in the road to “Digital India”, with the debate on the so-called harmful effects of the EMF emissions from mobile towers which has led to reckless activism and undue concerns in many parts of the country.
Hek informed that this has led to joint Government-Industry initiatives to address the concerns of people at large about the EMF adding such apprehension is largely because of ignorance, misinformation and scare-mongering by individuals/groups with vested interests.
Hek lamented such apprehension is at the backdrop of the fact that India has adopted one of the lowest emission standards for the mobile telecom industry, which is one-tenth of the World Health Organisation (WHO)-recommended emission levels that are followed across the globe.
Hek said that campaigns based on half-truths and without scientific rationale have led to various state governments and local authorities being pressurized to devise rules/laws and state-specific guidelines based on local feedback and activism. As a consequence of such fear-mongering and public concerns, many regions/areas are facing lack of adequate telecom network coverage in the country, he added.
In fact, numerous complaints related to call-drops, non-completion of calls, poor audio quality and other quality of service issues have been reported by customers in the North-East region.
In his speech, IT commissioner & secretary D P Wahlang, said: “The North-Eastern region has a lot to offer to the country, but is not able to do so due to lack of adequate communication channels within itself and with the rest of the country. Increased penetration of mobile telephony and initiatives such as Digital India will be levellers for the economy of the North-Eastern region by connecting it with the rest of the country seamlessly.
Wahlang felt the need of the time is the robust telecom infrastructure in the region. Through this workshop, we seek government support in ensuring adequate infrastructure,” he added.
Rajan S Matthews, Director General, COAI said that the objective of the workshop was to present the facts and information based on scientific evidence to the media and the general public, and to educate them and to put their apprehensions with respect to health concerns pertaining to mobile telephony to rest. He said, “We are optimistic of dispelling the concerns of the stakeholders with more such interactions.”
The central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is emphasising and focusing on the ‘Digital India’, ‘Smart Cities’ and ‘Inclusive Growth’ initiatives, which are achievable only with robust and scalable mobile communications networks across the country.
The Meghalaya government’s vision is also in line with the central government objectives and a joint effort from the government and the industry is instrumental in the success of these initiatives Meghalaya. The first step for the same is to remove the hurdles that restrict the development of the adequate infrastructure to realize this vision.
The central government’s “Digital India” initiative aims at ensuring that the government services are made available to citizens electronically by reducing paperwork. The initiative also includes plan to connect rural areas with high-speed internet networks.
The three core components of Digital India include creation of digital infrastructure, delivering services digitally and digital literacy. Availability of robust telecom networks is crucial in ensuring success of the pan-India “Digital India” initiative.- By Our Reporter
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