Believe it or not many politicians may not have taken note of Google inviting Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi for a session.
Many others may not even have cared to know that Modi told Google through video-conferencing on Thursday that Information Communication Technology(ICT) can ensure the accountability, transparency and good governance.
But former chief minister Arjun Munda is not among them.
Apart from being computer friendly,he had taken a number of steps to implement e-governance programme of the government in Jharkhand.These included file tracker system to locate the movement of files at the state secretariat and aapka cm.com to register the grievances of the people and redress them.
No body knows if he had watched Modi addressing Google through video conferancing in English in New Delhi on Thursday.But Modi had observed that “Internet is a gamechanger… Common citizens (can) now directly engage in policy making process.”Almost identical view is held by Munda.
Modi had also said:”Citizens now have a direct say (in governance). Earlier this was limited to once in five years or from one election to another. Internet has truly empowered the citizens.”
Though Munda had never used the new technology such as 3D holographic projection,Modi had extensively made use of it during the Gujarat elections.And as such Modi observed that it can connect with the “dreams and aspirations of the people”.
“It is the new town square, what we call the ‘nukkad’. Citizens are netizens… This is a wired republic,” Modi had said, pointing out that ICT can bring accountability, transparency and help in good governance.
Also Modi referred to novelist and futurist Alvin Toffler and said illiterates of the 21st century will be those who cannot “learn, unlearn and relearn”.
“This applies even more to politicians…It (technology) is very important for a large democracy like India… Technology is a challenge to the political class,” he said and maintained that politicians “have readily adopted any new technology soon after its inception, be it microphones, motion pictures or television”.