ICT as a Transformational Tool

&
the Information / Knowledge Society
A Sri Lankan Perspective
21st November 2012
CICT Meeting of UNESCAP,
Bangkok, Thailand

Reshan Dewapura

CEO, ICT Agency of Sri Lanka

Information & Communication Technology

THEME:
ThetransformationalpowerofICTanditseverincreasing
influenceonthesociety
ThedevelopmentoftheInformation/KnowledgeSociety
Howtosustainitwhilebridging(notwidening)theDigital
Divide

ICT as a Transformational Tool

2Concepts:
ICTasaCatalyst/EnablerforSocioEconomic
Developmentinthecountry.
ICTasgrowthindustry,providingaboostandbecominga
criticalpillarincountryseconomy.
Thedevelopment&growthandsustainabilityofthe
information/knowledgesocietyisimportantforboththese
areasofICT

Sri Lanka
Land Area:

65,610 Sq. Km

Population:

20,300,000

GDP/capita:

US$ 2000 +

Currency:

Sri Lankan Rupee

Time Zone:

GMT +5:30

Languages:

Sinhala, Tamil, English

Capital:
Exports:
Administration:
Telephone:
Internet :
Broadband:

Colombo (Commercial)
Sri Jayawardenepura (Admin)
Garments, Tea, Gems,
Rubber, Tourism, IT/BPO
9 Provinces, 25 Districts,
325 Divisional Secretariats
114% penetration
5 million users
1.25 million connections

Information / Knowledge Society

KeyRequirementsfortheDevelopmentofthe
InformationSociety&BridgingtheDigitalDivide:
ACCESS:

ToeContent

eCONTENT: Information,Services&Applications

Information / Knowledge Society

KeyRequirementsfortheDevelopmentofthe
InformationSociety&BridgingtheDigitalDivide:
ACCESS:

ToeContent

eCONTENT: Information,Services&Applications

Access to e-Content
KeyEnablersfortheprovisionofAccess:
NETWORK:Broadband,Wireless,Mobile
ACCESSDEVICES/POINTS:PCs,Tablets,Mobilephones,
InternetKiosks,TeleCenters
ICTLITERACY:AbilitytouseComputing/Mobiledevice
LOCALLANGUGAECOMPUTING:Availabilitytouse
ComputingdevicesinLocalLanguages

Access to e-Content: Sri Lankas Case

KeyEnablersfortheprovisionofAccess:
NETWROK:NationalBroadbandNetwork(NBN),3G++
ACCESSDEVICES/POINTS:Nenasalas(localTelecentres),
over100%Mobilepenetration
ICTLITERACY:From4% 40%inthelastdecade,targetof
75%inthenext5years.VeryHighMobileDeviceLiteracy
LOCALLANGUGAECOMPUTING:Sinhala&TamilUnicode
inComputers,ComputinginSinhala&Tamil

Information / Knowledge Society

KeyRequirementsfortheDevelopmentofthe
InformationSociety&BridgingtheDigitalDivide:
ACCESS:

ToeContent

eCONTENT: Information,Services&Applications

e-Content
Information,ServicesandApplicationsprovided
electronicallytocitizensbyboth:
GOVERNMENT:
ToFacilitateLifeEvents
ForEconomicBenefits

NON GOVERNMENTENTITIES
ForEconomicBenefits
ForSocialBenefits

e-Content from Non-Governments entities

Providedforthebenefitofandconsumedby
Citizensfor:
ECONOMICBENEFIT:IncomeGeneration,MonetarySavings,
EducationalOpportunities,EmploymentOpportunities,Business
Opportunities

SOCIALBENEFIT:Solutionstodaytodayproblems,Equal
Opportunities,AccesstobetterHealthCareServices,
CommunicationOpportunities,UpliftingtheQualityofLife,
PovertyReduction,Benefitstodisadvantagedcommunities

Economic Impact Sri Lankas Case

IncomeGeneration Accessto:
MarketPrices/Agri.Information
Marine/WeatherInformation
EmploymentOpportunities
EducationalOpportunities
BusinessOpportunities

MonetarySavings Accessto:
MarketPrices/Agri.Information
CommunicationOpportunities
Availability&UsageofMobileMoney

Social Impact Sri Lankas Case

SocialImpact
EqualOpportunities(UrbanvRural)
AccesstoHealthCareServices
AccesstoCommunicationOpportunities
AccesstoEducationalOpportunities
RemovalofTraditionalBarriers
UpliftingtheQualityofLife/PovertyReduction
Benefitstodisadvantagedcommunities
Benefitstodifferentlyabledcommunities
Solutionstosocietalproblems
Conflictavoidance(accesstoinformation)

e-Content from Government entities

Information&ServicesforCitizens:
NonelectronicContenthasalwaysbeenprovided:Albeit
inaninefficient,cumbersomeandunproductivemanner
forthecitizens.
Information/ServiceDeliverytoCitizensneedstobe
donemuchmoreefficiently.
Government/Govt.Processesneedstobereformed,re
engineeredandautomatedanddeliveredelectronically:e
GovernmentorReEngineeringGovernment

Government Information Centre (SL)

AShort/MediumTermRemedy
GIC 1919:FirstGovernmenttrilingualCall
Trilingualknowledgebaseonaplethoraofgovernment
services
Open365daysayear,14hoursaday
Backedbyatrilingualwebsite www.gic.gov.lk

Re-Engineering Government (Sri Lanka)

INFRASTRUCTUREECOSYSTEM(ConnectedGovt.)
LGN(LankaGovernmentNetwork):CohesiveDedicated
NetworkconnectingallGovernmentorganizations.
LG(LankaGate):GovernmentsServiceDeliveryPlatform
&SingleWindowAccesstoServices.ProvisionofInternet
PaymentGatewayServices.BasedonOpenStandards&
InteroperabilityFramework.
LGC(LankaGovernmentCloud):ProvidingInfrastructure,
PlatformandApplicationasaServicetoGovernment.

Re-Engineering Government (Sri Lanka)

DATABASES&eAPPLICATIONS
DataBases:ePopulationRegister,eLandRegister,e
EstablishmentsHub

Providingimportantdatatootherdepartmentsand
systems.EnablingtheSingleWindowimplementationof
GovernmentServices.

Applications:eCivilRegistrationCertificates,ePensions,
eMotoring,ETravelAuthority(eVisa),eSocialServices,e
LocalGovernment,HHIMS,+++

Providingefficienciesindeliveringservicestocitizens

Information / Knowledge Society

KeyRequirementsfortheDevelopmentofthe
InformationSociety&BridgingtheDigitalDivide:
ACCESS:

ToeContent

eCONTENT: Information,Services&Applications

New Technology Trends & Strategies

BigData&OpenData
CloudComputing
NearFieldCommunication
CitizenEngagement
MobileGovernment(Gov3.0)
eHealthServices
AndroidEcoSystem(emerginginSriLanka)

ICT as a Transformational Tool

2Concepts:
ICTasaCatalyst/EnablerforSocioEconomic
Developmentinthecountry.
ICTasgrowthindustry,providingaboostandbecominga
criticalpillarincountryseconomy.
Thedevelopment&growthandsustainabilityofthe
information/knowledgesocietyisimportantforboththese
areasofICT

IT & BPO/ KPO Industry

DevelopmentandGrowthoftheKnowledge
Services(IT/BPO/KPO)IndustryasakeyEconomic
pillarinthecountry:
FocusAreas:
IndustryCapacityBuilding,
MarketCreationandPromotion,
CreatingEnablingEnvironment(legal++)forIndustrygrowth

Benefits:
ForeignExchangeearningforcountry(No5inSL),
Generationofhighvalueemploymentopportunitiesandcareers.

Summery (ICT as a Transformational Tool)

Manyactivitiestofocuson:
DevelopmentoftheICTInfrastructure
DevelopmentoftheICTHRSkills
eGovernment/ReEngineeringGovernment
TakingBenefitsofICTtoSocieties/Communities
GrowthoftheICT/BPOIndustry
PolicyandInstitutionalFramework&eLeadership
Alloftheaboveareinterlinkedandconnected.
AHolisticapproachtoeDevelopmentisessentialfor
growthaswellassustainability.

e-Sri Lanka

An Integrated
e~Development
Model

Peace
Re-engineering
Government

Information
Infrastructure

e-Society

ICT Policy,
Leadership &
Institutional
Development

ICT Human
Resources
Capacity
Building

Eq
u

ity

ICT Investment
& Private Sector
Development

Gr

ow

th

ICT as a Transformational Tool

&
the Information / Knowledge Society
A Sri Lankan Perspective

Thank You
www.icta.lk