Information
Technology in the Leh District
National Informatics Centre established VSAT at Leh in 1990 .It is the highest VSAT centre in the world .
In
the age of information technology the networking of the offices through WAN and
LAN and its Internet connection is most essential for speedy and cost
effective transfer of information. Keeping in view the geographic location and
the condition, the communication through networking of the offices is
indispensable. In addition to carrying Intranet data, it can provide high performance delivery
virtually any type of kind of data at
high speed and a low cost.
In order to meet this
object, a
unique network has been established in Leh- Ladakh. The network having LAN at the Sub Divisional Headquarters
CIC Centres
with Vsat Skyblaster
for connectivity and DAMA VSAT at Leh for Wide Area Net Work
Impact of IT
Information Technology
is an important and extremely effective tool through which development and progress
can take place with the co-operation of all strata of society including
government and the public. District Administration is committed to
providing a responsive and effective administration for the welfare of the
public keeping in view the national objectives. District Administration recognizes the need to
harness the growing power of I.T. for the betterment of the life of the
residents of the District Leh of Jammu & Kashmir
State.
Dealing with Government
is usually complicated, slow and confusing. Government typically is associated
with complex hierarchies, elaborate procedures, and slow decision making.
Public access to Government services is uncoordinated, cumbersome and paper
based, which is further compounded in case more than one agency is involved.
Service delivery by the government can be contrasted for example with ATM
services abroad, which provide twenty four hour service of high quality using
Information Technology. Similarly, tracking a file in a Government department
can be an exasperating experience, while companies like the Federal Express
using Information Technology, can pinpoint the location of a package anywhere
in the world, despite handling more than two million packages a day.
Mystification of
procedures and an atmosphere of obscurity gives
immense discretion and consequently power, to the bureaucracy. Existing
organizational structures, hierarchies and procedures in Government were
designed in fact for a different era. IT together with, greater transparency,
flatter organizational structures, and simpler procedures can help tackle some
of the maladies of Government resulting in speedier and better decisions.
The District Administration intends
to take steps to improve the quality of the citizen Government interface, by
introducing a process of administrative reform integrated with use of
Information Technology. The Government recognizes that merely introducing
Information Technology without concomitant changes in organizational structures
and administrative culture cannot exploit the full potential of Information
Technology.
Frequently Information
Technology is wrongly viewed as an end in itself, rather than as a means to
improving administrative and managerial efficiency. Information Technology is
also frequently used to merely automate existing processes whereas,
it should rather be used strategically, to radically improve organizational
effectiveness. It is necessary therefore that Information Technology be fully
integrated with the process of administrative reform in order to make a
tangible difference in the quality of service delivery to the common man.
Rapid changes are taking
place in the field of Information Technology with the convergence of computing
and communications. The emergence of the Internet and its associated
technologies has opened up an entirely new paradigm in which Governments will
be required to function in the future. The infrastructure for the electronic
Governments of the future is fast taking shape.
The Vision
The vision of District Administration
is to create a knowledge-based society through extensive use of Information
Technology. District Administration envisages a scenario wherein every citizen
shall be able to access the benefits of Information technology by the year
2005. The residents of this region are enlightened enough to realise the significance of the I.T. revolution and it is
expected that they shall wholeheartedly participate in this movement. The
ultimate goal is to use I.T. as a medium for effective interaction between the
Administration and the public so that exchange of information and access to
government departments is speedy and easy lleading to
a better quality of life.
Primarily, Information
Technology will be used to increase quality, reduce costs and improve overall
efficiency and effectiveness in government. The vision as delineated below is
possible within the framework of technology as it exists today. The Internet,
Web and groupware technologies today permit seamless access to huge volumes of
information overcoming constraints of time and distance. Networking for the
citizen
By the year ending
electronic networks will be introduced at all points of contact
between the Government and the citizen. All forms requiring submission of
information, while applying for any service or clearance from Government, will
be made available for electronic access and submission.
Electronic
mail
Electronic mail is good
starting point for launching employees on to computerization. The use of email
has been encouraged
and all employees have been provided
access to email facilities. This would also help the transition from a paper
based Government of the present, to an electronic Government of the future.
One of the
important Networking Services being provided by NIC is its Electronic Mail
Service..
E-MAIL SERVICES OVER NICNET THROUGH VSAT’S
One
separate email server is
installed at Leh So that Electronic Mail (better known as
E-Mail), "the means to exchange messages electronically", is the most
commonly used Network Service. NIC provides different kinds of E-mail services
to its users, over NICNET, NIC's satellite based
communication network. The different types of e-mail services being provided
include SMTP, UUCP and X.400. The NICNET e-mail service is distributed over
many mail servers located at different NIC centres.
These are inter-linked with each other such that mails can be exchanged amongst
all types of users at Leh and Sub Divisional Hqs.Nyoma, Nubra, Khaltsi & Durbuk..
Civil Construction Architect
All engineering departments will be required to effectively use Information Technology in the design, execution, monitoring and evaluation of their works. All future civil construction activity in Government will incorporate minimum standards for facilitating extension of networks in the future. The R&B department would therefore be required to work out such standards, for incorporation as part of its engineering designs.
During the year
2000-2001 Superintending Engineer, Executive Engineer R&B & Executive
Engineer Construction procured computer systems , UPS,
Printers and Plotters to be used for engineering purposes and CAD specially.
Accountability
Performance
accountability will be kept in mind while designing information systems for
each department. Each department’s information system will be so designed as to
make it easy to assess the performance of each functionary on the basis of
objective criteria. Thus the codification of officers in each department, and
the linking of databases with such codes will be systematically carried out.
This will help in institutionalizing accountability at all levels in the
Government.
Computer literacy
There may be a need for
insisting on computer literacy at all levels in Government. Consequently, all
future recruitment in Government would necessitate basic computer literacy, so
that the culture of using information technology in the service of the common
man, can be effectively introduced in the governmental set up over time
Training of Employe
Large scale training of
employees at all levels is contemplated as part of the approach spelt out in
this paper. However, there is a possibility of rapid ‘de-skilling’
in the post training phase, unless facilities for computer access are made
available to employees. This aspect would have to be kept in mind while
planning for the introduction of Information Technology in different
departments.
The present approach
relies significantly on web technologies for setting up distributed data
warehouses in different departments for providing seamless access to
information both within and outside Government. Since the level of familiarity
with web technologies is at present low, a detailed and well thought out plan
will have to be worked out for training and supporting use of such technologies
across the board.
Every year training programme is being organized by the District Administration
for officers/officials of all the Departments from Leh
and Sub Divisional Hqs.
Information Kiosks
It is proposed that by the
next year Information Kiosks relating information of Tourism and district
profiles &
Communication data to public i.e
accessibility and retrieval of data by public through citizen I.T. interface
(Information Kiosks) in Public Places such as Airport arrival lounge, Tourist
Reception Centres, shopping centers,etc
(Upgraded to manned public access terminals)also selected STD/ISD booths at
prominent places can be converted into information Kiosks.
VSAT technology has
emerged as a very useful especially for remote district like Leh ,
everyday application of modern telecommunications. VSAT stands for 'Very Small
Aperture Terminal' and refers to 'receive/transmit' terminals installed at
dispersed sites connecting to a central hub via satellite using small diameter
antenna dishes (0.6 to 3.8 meter). VSAT technology represents a cost effective
solution for users seeking an independent communications network connecting a
large number of geographically dispersed sites. VSAT networks offer value-added
satellite-based services capable of supporting the Internet, data, voice/fax
etc. over LAN. Generally, these systems operate in the Ku-band and C-band
frequencies.
District Administration has
been operating IPA & FTDMA VSAT in the Leh
district for the last 10 years .
The Internet technology has grown tremendously over the past few years and consequently, a dire need for high speed access mechanisms has arisen . New VSAT technology DAMA , District Leh has kept pace with the latest by installing three VSATs
In order to meet its
networking requirements, District Administration has been operating IPA & FTDMA VSAT in the Leh
district for the last couple of years.
To fulfill the growing demand of the NICNET users for a direct Internet access
from their premises (eliminating the last-mile problem) and to support a number
of value-added services, Leh district has
procured and installed three new DAMA VSATs at Nyoma, Leh and Khaltsi.
SETTING UP OF LAN/WAN AT SUB DIVISIONAL
HQs THROUGH DAMA VSAT
In the age of
information technology the networking of the offices through WAN and LAN and
its Internet connection
is most essential for speedy and cost effective transfer of
information. Keeping in view the geographic location and the condition, the
communication through networking of the offices is indispensable. In addition
to carrying Intranet data, it
can provide high performance delivery virtually any type of kind
of data at high speed and a low cost.
In order to meet this
object, a
unique network is proposed to be established in Leh- Ladakh. The network will have LAN at the Sub Divisional Headquarters
CIC Centres with Skyblaster
Vsat for connectivity and DAMA VSAT at Leh
for Wide Area Net Work.
A high speed NICNET info-Highway,
an incremental overlay over the existing network is proposed to be set up with DAMA , Skyblaster
Vsat technology to take advantage of Internet technology. Skyblaster Vsat and DAMA which
works upto384 kbps transmit and 512 kbps receive, can give more
security. NIC Leh has judiciously selected latest and
proven technology and making operational in Ladakh
conditions. The network has been designed with AUPC, AFEC, auto tracing to
operate with station-kept as well as inclined orbit satellites. Each VSAT can
dial and get connected to another. This state-of-the art VSAT offers far
greater speed and efficiency in accessing Intranet content than the land based
technologies. The network architecture combines a minimal bandwidth allocation
for small incoming requests with high-speed satellite return links to
facilitate the rapid transmission of information to the offices. With this, it will be able to
deliver multimedia-rich features, such as real-time video and audio to remote locations at very high speed.
IT PROPOSALS & PLAN
1. Three more Vsat in being installed at the remaining Block Hqs viz, Leh, Kharu & Nyoma under CIC Project during the year 2005-06.With this complete Wide Area Network (WAN) will be established in Leh district.
2. One IT Promotional Centre / IT Park is proposed to be setup in Leh by the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council & The proposal stands submitted to the IT Ministry Govt of India.
3. One proposal for setting up IP Star by the STPI in Leh Feasibility report stands submitted.
4.
Proposal for establishing Village IT Centre around Leh
town villages under PURA Scheme stands submitted.