Lt Governor addresses Global Virtual Technology Summit “Pan IIT-WOT 2021”

JAMMU : Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today addressed the Pan IIT-WOT 2021, a global virtual technology summit organized by Pan IIT Alumni India, through virtual mode at Raj Bhavan here.

While speaking on the occasion, the Lt Governor said that, we aim to take industrial revolution to next level in J&K, making investments today to maximize economic benefits in the future. We are reforming government processes using technology, transforming skill sets of youth through modern centers of Innovation, Incubation, Invention, and Training.

“I believe the power of new innovations combined with superior human capital is the perfect recipe to build a better tomorrow. Innovations will not slow down and the administrative systems, governance will have to put in place a new mechanism for faster adaptability”, he added.

The Lt Governor said that a flourishing innovation ecosystem where producers, service providers, users are on same wavelength will immensely contribute to Hon’ble PM’s dream of making India ‘AtmaNirbhar’.

“Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi’s mission to make India a hub of innovation & promotion of exponential technologies has made an immense impact in every possible sector. Graduation of India to the elite top 50 countries-club in the 2020 Global Innovation Index is a result of his vision”, he added.

The Lt Governor said that soon we would be sitting in the back seat of a car without the driver in the front seat as drivers-less cars loaded with software, connected through a cell phone with promise of zero accident may replace our old drivers and driving schools.

“Similarly, the days are not far when there won’t be any electricity cable or solar panel. Our windows, glass panels, and roof itself would generate electricity. Maybe within few years, we will have to replace street lights in our cities because innovations in kinetic roads will generate their own energy to provide power”, he added.

The Lt Governor observed that we are witnessing a transformation that could change the concept of a classroom and instead of a human teacher, we have pre-programmed cell-phone teacher. He said that the new education apps, modules with the help of artificial intelligence and robotics one fine day would make the teachers obsolete, wherever possible.

The Lt Governor said that there is no doubt that technology is a great enabler but the pace of change also brings challenges for the government. “We have to accelerate adoption of the technologies that assist us in growth and enable us to serve more citizens with evolving safety tools. We cannot say no to innovations. We have to identify areas where it can be implemented for the better service delivery or to create a better life for the people living in far-flung areas”, the Lt Governor added.

The Lt Governor said that the advent of smart and new technological products, support from the centre under the leadership of our visionary Prime Minister, has provided the state governments a new opportunity to make public service delivery more efficient.

Recounting some of the major breakthroughs made in the governance front since he took over the charge of Jammu Kashmir last year in August, the Lt Governor said that with initiatives like e-Office, bringing transparency in the execution of works, and completing the projects hanging in for long in record time, the UT Government has paved a solid foundation for the rapid growth of J&K.

“We have implemented a software module called ‘EMPOWER’ which enables every citizen with a mobile phone to see the work taken up in a particular village, the progress made and the amount of money released by the government. Digitization of government services has truly realized the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s dream of ‘minimum government, maximum governance”, he added.

Mentioning the innovation of a young boy from Srinagar who came out with a smart app that uses AI technology to predict the optimal crop sowing date, the Lt Governor said that many of our youngsters in the Union Territory are working on Artificial Intelligence solutions to improve farm productivity.

Quoting Ray Kurzweil, the Lt Governor said that due to explosive power of exponential growth, the 21st Century will be equivalent to 20,000 years of progress at today’s rate of progress and organizations have to be able to redefine themselves at a faster and faster pace.

“Technology will overtake technology for sure and engineers, innovators will be able to make a very different world for sure. Public service delivery will become swifter for sure”, Lt Governor added.

Giving his best wishes to all the young minds, the Lt Governor hoped that Hackathon completion tomorrow, may find glimpses of next 10 years.

The Lt Governor wished everyone good health and a happy future. He observed that new hope, fresh enthusiasm, and renewed energy is being seen in J&K because of our successful fight against two waves of the global pandemic and rapid pace of vaccination.

Shri M.K. Stalin, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu; Sh. Krishen Dhar, Chairman, Pan IIT; Sh. Debashish Bhattacharya, General Secretary, Pan IIT; Sunil Khanna, Co-Chair, Program, Pan IIT Summit 2021, besides esteemed guests from the Industry, Startups, young engineering talents from across the globe attended the summit.