Information and Communication Technology (ICT) today permeates almost every sphere of human endeavour. Investment in ICT has the largest multiplier effect rippling through the economy than any other sector.

The Indian software and services industry has grown significantly during 2002-03, a period marked globally by a fall in ICT sector revenue. The software and services industry has emerged as one of the fastest growing sectors in the Indian economy with a growth rate of over 26 per cent during 2002-03 and turnover of US$ 12.7 billion (Rs. 59,900 crore) and exports of US$ 10 billion (Rs. 47,500 crore).

Indian IT software and services industry is expected to account for about 2.4 per cent of India’s GDP and 20.4 per cent of exports during 2002-03 and is projected to account for 7 per cent of India's GDP and 35 per cent of exports by 2008.

Indian IT software and services industry is expected to have provided employment to 6,50,000 IT professionals by March, 2003. It is estimated that out of the 6,50,000 knowledge workers, almost 2,05,000 are working in the IT software and services export industry; nearly 1,60,000 in IT enabled services; 25,000 in the domestic software market and over 2,60,000 in user organizations.

The Department of Information Technology has set-up Community Information Centres (CICs) at 487 blocks in the seven North-Eastern States (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura) and Sikkim to provide connectivity at the block level and thus promote application of Information Technology for accelerating socio-economic development of the region. The CICs will help in tackling the digital divide by providing internet access and IT enabled services and also to facilitate citizens interface with the government.

The Department has taken up setting up of the full scope programme of Media Lab Asia on completion of its initial programme in collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. Media Lab Asia's objective is to bring the benefits of ICT and other advanced technologies to the common man.

The Government is drawing up a comprehensive programme to ensure that the benefit of e-Governance reaches all sections of the society and economy. The Department has implemented the ‘Bhoomi’ project on Land Records in the State of Karnataka. The project is one of the most successful pilot projects in the e-Governance area in the country. The other successful projects on e-Governance are Registration, Transport, Municipalities, Gram Panchayats, Treasuries and Integrated Citizen Services Centres (front ends like e-Seva, Friends, etc.,) which are running in different States on pilot scale.

To integrate ICT in the learning environment in the Government and Government-aided schools and higher learning institution in the country, the Department of Information Technology has formulated ‘Vidya Vahini’ and ‘Gyan Vahini’ programmes. It will provide connectivity and IT Infrastructure to schools and higher learning institutions in the country. Pilot projects have been taken up to connect about 200 Senior Secondary Schools in the seven districts in the country and campus-wide network at Delhi University. The Prime Minister launched the programme on June 11, 2003.

To provide promotional support for e-commerce and information security to catch up with the rest of the world and achieve accelerated economic growth in the country a programme, ‘E-Commerce and Information Security’ was initiated by the Department. Department of Information Technology has taken the initiative of promoting e-Learning as a potential methodology, to compliment the Government efforts to generate high quality, high-end manpower in the area of Information Technology.

National Institute for Smart Government (NISG) has been incorporated as a section 25 company under the Companies Act 1956 on May 29, 2002. The organization is expected to play a pivotal role in channelising private resources and competence into the national e-Governance effort.

The Indian Government has created the necessary legal and administrative framework through the enactment of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000.

Internet has emerged as the principal medium of communication. To ensure safety of the government network, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) has been set up.

The Government has enacted the Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout-Design Act, 2000, to provide for protection of Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout-Design and for matters connected therewith incidental thereto.

In a multilingual country like India with only 5 per cent population knowing English, it is essential that information processing and exchange software should be developed in local languages and be available at low cost for wider proliferation of the benefits of ICT.

Digital Libraries (DL) are a form of Information Technology in which social impact matters as much as technological advancements. Among a number of major DL initiatives, the Universal Digital Library (UDL) project that aims at creating a free-to-read, searchable collection of one million books, primarily in the English language. The Digital Library Portal of India was inaugurated by the President of India, Dr. Abdul Kalam, on September 8, 2003.

The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) has developed and commissioned PARAM Padma, a terascale supercomputing system at its Knowledge Park, Bangalore. It is the largest supercomputer developed by a country in Asia Pacific Region (outside Japan).

Multi Application Smart Cards (MASC) are fast emerging as a secure, fast, and convenient means for performing both financial and non-financial e-transactions of various kinds.

A computerised Braille transcription and embossing system has been developed under Jai Vigyan National S&T Mission which can operate in English and all major Indian languages. The equipment enables a school for visually handicapped children to easily generate reading material, class notes, questions papers, training material, etc., for the blind students.

STPI centers act as ‘single-window’ in providing services to the software exporters and incubation infrastructure to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). STPI is serving software export industry country wide with its 39 centers.

Video Conferencing network has been set-up in all the districts of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttranchal through NICNET. Video Conferencing facility has also been set-up at Leh and Neuoma Blocks, the highest point in the world where on-line Video Conferencing facility has been made available.

The CMC Ltd., an undertaking under the Department of Information Technology, has been privatized through sale of 51 per cent of its equity in favour of Tata Sons Ltd. Tata Sons Ltd. paid an amount of Rs.152 crore to the Government for acquiring 51 per cent stake in the Company.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee Centre of Excellence for Communications and Information Technology was set-up in Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia, at a cost of US$1 million. It was inaugurated on October 1, 2002.

The Department is helping Government of Mauritius in setting up of Ebene Cyber City and Information Technology Education Centre at Port Louis, Mauritius. Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), a Society of this Department is implementing the $100 million project.

The Department of Information Technology has established Indo-Ghana Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence for Communications and Information Technology at Accra, Ghana.

On-line transmission of Election results for the States were facilitated through NICNET. NIC published results of various examinations conducted by the CBSE, State Education Boards, Universities, Professional Entrance Examinations, Staff Selection Commission, Institute of Chartered Accountants, etc.

To provide finance for start-up for IT & Computer software ventures, the Department in association with Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) set up a Rs. 100 crore ‘National Venture Fund for Software and Industry’.

To make India a Global Information Technology Superpower and one of the largest generators and exporters of software in the next ten years, the Government has set up a National Task Force on Information Technology and Software Development in May, 1998. The Task Force submitted the reports in three parts in 1998-1999.

The Ministry organised the first-ever National Conference of various States IT Ministers for arriving at Common Action Plan to promote IT in India in New Delhi on July 15, 2000. The Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, inaugurated the Conference.

In pursuance of the announcement made by the Prime Minister in the First National Conference of IT Ministers on July 15, 2002, a Task Force on Human Resource Development in IT was set-up.

As the countdown for the year 2000 began, efforts towards preparing the Nation for the Y2K problems was strengthened and accelerated by the Government. Reports from all sectors have indicated that India passed the Y2K glitch successfully and without any problem.

A project on National Resource Centre for online learning at C-DAC, Mumbai has been initiated. This Centre will enable to develop a vision and supporting infrastructure for academic and non-formal institutions to understand the opportunity, issues and technology trends relating to "Online Learning" and thus contribute to the emergence of India as IT super power. A new R&D Centre of C-CAC (erstwhile NCST) was inaugurated on July 12, 2000 at the Electronic City, Bangalore. This Centre, will also serve as a Resource Centre to industry, specially, in the area of Software Engineering and Product Development.

An Advisory Committee comprising of well known IT professionals from the industry was set up on January 17, 2000 under the Chairmanship of Minister (IT) for Department of Information Technology. The Advisory Committee will assist Department of Information Technology to identify thrust/emerging technology areas and will suggest measures/policies/actions for making Indian IT industry a Global Superpower.

A Select Group comprising of successful and well known IT professionals based at Silicon Valley was formed under the Chairmanship of Minister (IT). The Group will interact through internet, email, video conferencing and may meet once in a year and advise the Government on various issues relating to development of IT, telecommunication infrastructure and software export from the country.

National Informatics Centre (NIC) provides informatics services for decision support to Government offices/bodies at National, State, district and block levels. It offers network services over Ku-band (TDMA, FTDMA, IPA and SCPC VSATs), Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) and Local Area Networks (LANs) with NICNET gateway for Internet resources, facilitating informatics services for decentralised planning, improvement in Government services, and wider transparency of national and local governments. NIC has set-up a countrywide satellite based VSAT network (NICNET), first of its kind among the developing countries, linking about 600 District Administrations, 28 State Secretariats, and seven NCT/UT Administrations.