Full Coverage: policy initiatives in ICT

31.10.2007 Spain's new electronic ID cards will reach 30 million citizens soon. The Interior Ministry has already distributed 1.2 million chip-based cards and expects to issue at least 800,000 more by the end of the year.

31.10.2007 BangaloreIT.in 2007 - billed as AsiaÂ’s biggest ICT event - got on to a slow start on October 30, with few IT enthusiasts participating on the first day.

29.10.2007 The Chinese government will work with ICT companies on a proposal encouraging the development of Wi-Fi applications. The government will continue to leverage Web 2.0 technologies to engage with the public and improve public service delivery in specific areas.

29.10.2007 The Indian governmentÂ’s department of science and technology (DST) will fund IT companies to help adopt innovative ideas as value addition to their products. The proposal will encourage IT companies to brand their services and retain their competitiveness in the international market despite the instability in the currency market.

27.10.2007 A citizen held electronic health card (eCard) will enable people to access online electronic prescriptions in Bulgaria. The pilot project will be tested by 1,000 patients who will use their eCard at both their GP and pharmacy.

25.10.2007 The second Internet Governance Forum to be held at Rio, Brazil from 12-15 November will discuss related issues and make relevant recommendations to the international community.

22.10.2007 The Government of India and the United Nations Development Programme have joined hands to impart new technology skills to the unemployed youth and generate employment. The SKILLS projectÂ’s new portal will be accessible by all stakeholders of the vocational training network.

11.10.2007 The Indian government plans to set up data centres in the 28 states under the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP). These centres will provide digital services to citizens including online service delivery among others.

09.10.2007 Chairman of the National Knowledge Commission, Sam Pitroda called for a 1,000 community radio stations in India in the next one year at a recent media workshop at Auroville, Puducherry. The workshop also stressed on the need for better radio laws to make technology accessible and affordable to all.

09.10.2007 Greater decentralisation of ICT programmes with locally relevant, context specific and flexible content can boost literacy, says the 10 point charter of the two day international conference of E-9 countries on ICT for Literacy in Bangalore, India. The E-9 countries are Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, Egypt, Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, China and India.

04.10.2007 A national working group on WiMax will build strategies for India's active participation in the Global WiMax Forum. It expects to achieve the national target of 20 million broadband connections by 2010.

04.10.2007 The National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) of Pakistan has launched an information management system in all districts of Punjab. This IT based programme will monitor and support local governments to develop e-Governance at the grassroots.