Interview: Pramod Mahajan, Minister For Information Technology

INTERVIEW: PRAMOD MAHAJAN, MINISTER FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
"I am not here to create red tape"

He's one of the most visible and articulate faces of the Vajpayee government. But when he took over as the minister for the newly-formed Information Technology Ministry 14 months ago, he had to contend with a skeptical industry, which wondered why the ministry had been formed at all. They don't ask that question anymore. In an interview with BT's Ashutosh Sinha and Bharat Ahluwalia, the IT Minister Pramod Mahajan, explained how his ministry won over the infotech czars and what the government is trying to do to spread the infotech revolution further. Excerpts:

Q. When the information technology ministry was created, there were a lot of apprehensions about whether such a ministry was needed. Have these been laid to rest?

A. Frankly, I don't think I am the right person to respond to that question. This comment was made by people in the industry and they are the right people to decide. For my part, all I can say is that I have made it clear that I am not here as a regulator, but as a facilitator. I am not here to create red tape, but with a red carpet. I told them you can deal with me as a friend and a guide. Treat me as your lobbyist in this government. I sincerely believe that the infotech revolution has changed the image of Indians internationally. For the first time in the history of independent India, we have something to feel proud of. So, it's my duty to see that from the government's side we remove obstacles rather than create them.

So, how successful have you been?

It's been about 14 months now, and what we've actually done in this time has little parallel in India's history of lawmaking. We drafted the IT Act, presented it to Parliament, sent it to the Standing Committee, got it passed by Parliament, framed rules and regulations, and made the necessary appointments. This law was needed for e-governance and e-commerce, since neither was possible without legal sanction.

It's true that till today digital signatures aren't valid, since there is no certifying authority yet. I do have a Controller for Digital Certification, and will in a few months have a certifying authority. Then, people can register their signatures and get their numbers. That's when technically e-commerce and e-governance can start.

On the law-making side, the last budget saw some initial problems, relating to concessions given to software technology parks. I believe I was able to lobby with the finance minister and he was kind enough to change things to the satisfaction of the industry.

I have an IT advisory committee, comprising a virtual who's who of the Indian IT and telecom industry. They have met twice and if you see their responses to the issues raised in the meeting, the active correspondence they maintain on issues discussed and in their conversations with me, I can say that the industry is happy with the creation of the IT ministry. After a year, I can say with some sense of pride, that if tomorrow this ministry is abolished, the IT industry will miss it.

I may be one of the few ministers who often meets the finance minister, taking my proposals from the industry. Budget-making in this country is done at the bureaucratic level. The secretaries meet and take the decisions. Seldom does a minister call on the finance minister, saying I would like to get these things done. I think I am one of the few who lobby for their ministries. To the best of my knowledge no other minister does this.

What are the demands that you have placed before the finance minister for this budget?

There are many tax anomalies, and naturally, the industry always wants the lowest taxes. I want IT penetration to increase, so wherever changes in tax rates help do that, I want that concession. We must make computers as cheap as possible, but taxation is only one part of that.

What efforts are being made to bring infotech to the education and health sectors?

The department of education has made a beginning. My real worry is whether distance education will replace the classroom. On paper, or in theory, it seems to be very rosy-one best teacher in the country can teach a billion people. But again, the availability of computers is limited. I can donate computers to selected schools. But from where will I get the electricity between 10 and six. In theory, these applications are exciting. But in practice, I am afraid things won't change overnight.

But the one area in the public sector where we have not made an effort is health. I recently inaugurated one of the rural centres of Apollo Hospital. I asked them to provide me with a video film I could show to the 800 Members of Parliament on how IT can make a big difference to the healthcare system. Using infotech helps, but the public sector has not taken an initiative yet. It is still at the 'talking level', apart from one or two examples.

One experiment we are doing is in the North East: we are connecting 484 blocks with what we call CIC (Community Information Centres). We have already completed 30 blocks as a pilot project. These 484 blocks will be interconnected and each will also be connected via VSAT with the rest of the world. When this project is complete, you will have centres at block levels that the state government can use for educating people, e-governance, health, and others. So, this is really an ambitious project and a lot depends on how state governments can exploit the infrastructure. My ambition is that in every state, one block should have a centre like this.

Is there any private participation?

No. Only the government is involved at present. But many companies have offered to participate in this. Microsoft has, for example, offered to participate. I had gone last summer to MIT to visit their Media Lab. It was then that I thought of having a similar thing in India. They said there wasn't anything like that anywhere else in the world. Ireland is the country where Media Lab, Europe, will be located. The site is yet to be selected though. Similarly, Media Lab, Asia, is to be located in India. I think within the next three-to-four months it will become a reality. MIT has told me that they will fund the project to the tune of 80 per cent and expect me to finance the rest, which will work out to Rs 500 crore over a 10-year period. I think it will be prestigious for India if Media Lab, Asia, is set up here.

But the biggest problem that the IT industry is facing today is the lack of telecom infrastructure. How will that problem be solved?

On policy issues, as long as you have different ministries you cannot go faster.

We have a convergence bill. So, are we going to end up having a converged ministry?

No. This has nothing to do with the convergence of ministries. You cannot expect one minister to look after telecom, IT, as well as communications.

Which states are leading in terms of IT initiatives? How well are they doing?

Basically, there are seven states, the four southern states, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. Unfortunately, (parts of) Gujarat will have to do it all over again. But, I am not satisfied with these states' progress. Actually, Indian states compare themselves with their own past.

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