On November 16th, FORE School of Management, New Delhi, in association with ASSOCHAM, organized an event titled ”Developing the Nation Digitally” under the Government of India’s ambitious ‘Digital India’ program. The event was inaugurated in the distinguished presence of Dr. Jitendra Kumar Das, Director, FORE School of Management, New Delhi; Shri Narayan Bandekar, President, Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industries (GCCI), Chairman ASSOCHAM Council on MSME; Manguirish Pai Raiker, Regional Director, ASSOCHAM; Shri Bharat Kumar Jaiswal, and Shri Nagraj Prabhu Borkar, President, Goa IT Business Association (GIBA). The event was supported by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India.
The one-day event focused on the societal transformations and economic growth opportunities brought about by developments in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Experts also discussed the effective use of ICTs to foster inclusive growth and deliberated on the challenges ahead.
The welcome address of the seminar was delivered by Dr. Jitendra Das, Director, FORE School of Management, New Delhi and Chairman, Organising Committee.
“Technology has improved and enhanced the delivery of all types of services to different strata of society. More importantly, slack in the system has been put to more productive use. This has made optimum utilization of resources possible,” he began. “We are heading towards a modern era democracy through technology. A democracy in which there are no secrets, no privacy and everything is transparent. With the pace of change that we are experiencing, in the very near future we should be able to reach that stage of democracy.”
Stating that technological changes have brought about phenomenal changes in our daily lives, Dr. Das sighted examples of the effective use of technology from a diverse span of users, from huge corporate houses to small-time vegetable vendors.
He continued his address with a focus on the benefits of technology and how it can continue to provide opportunities to citizens worldwide. “In the earlier phases of technology deployment, people, more specifically governments, were apprehensive about the effectiveness and contribution of technology to development. There was once this CM who cynically asked how technology could possibly help him stop floods and aid in the development of the people! But over the years, ICT innovations have proved these apprehensions wrong. Now, technology is used in each and every sphere of life. It helps us understand things in real-time and make predictions, as well as take preventive measures. Technology has introduced new benchmarks in customer satisfaction. The focus needs to be on finding ways and means of leveraging technology for the well-being of the people at large.”
Highlighting the negative side of technology, he said. “It is pervading the psyche of human beings – more specifically youngsters, who are seen falling prey to technology’s negative impact”.
He also applauded the Goa Government’s commitment in using ICT for development.
The seminar reflected on the contribution potential of technology in all spheres of life including healthcare, education, and environmental preservation, in addition to the finer details of enhancing productivity, customer experience, and growth through technology.
Shri Narayan Bandekar, President, Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industries (GCCI), Chairman ASSOCHAM Council on MSME; Shri Manguirish Pai Raiker, Regional Director , ASSOCHAM, Shri Bharat Kumar Jaiswal; and Shri Nagraj Prabhu Borkar, President, Goa IT Business Association (GIBA) also spoke on the occasion.
The seminar culminated with the ‘ASSOCHAM Awards for Excellence in ICT Deployment’ handed out by the dignitaries present.
FSM Delhi 