Atos and NASSCOM Foundation jointly announced the launch of National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM) centers dedicated to training and imparting digital literacy in Mumbai, Chennai, Pune and Bangalore. The NDLM centers will conduct skill development programs in the area of Information Technology for the aspiring underprivileged persons interested to undertake IT literacy programs.
Atos in collaboration of NASSCOM Foundation, will endeavor to leverage the IT training as envisaged under the NDLM Scheme with the objectives of appreciation of Digital Literacy – that aims to make a person IT literate, so that he/she can operate digital devices, like mobile phones, tablets among other electronic devices and send & receive emails and search the internet for information among other things.
Atos in India will facilitate the training infrastructure and the trainers at these NDLM centers with the help of NASSCOM nominated NGO’s at its respective location centers. These centers together will be training as many 4000 beneficiaries in a year on all digital devices, specifically, computers and mobile phones. Once trained, the beneficiaries will be able to send emails, connect on social media, buy from e-Commerce websites, and will even know how to use internet to avail various government services such as registering for AADHAR Cards, Ration Cards, PAN Cards, and other such internet enabled services.
On the occasion, Milind Kamat, EVP & CEO of Atos for India said: “As a leading international digital services company, we are pleased to announce our association with NASSCOM Foundation in accomplishing the larger goal of Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (DISHA) or also known as NDLM Scheme. The mission is both aspiring and ambitious in its scale to train the non-IT literate citizens to become IT literate. A sound foundation starts with a modest beginning; this is quite an enabling initiative across India. The initiative will enable a huge underprivileged proportion of the population by teaching them how to use and access technology, which ultimately will increase their knowledge, career and work potential and career opportunities.”
Shrikant Sinha, CEO, NASSCOM Foundation said: “Digital Literacy is emerging as the single largest and one of the most important tools for the empowerment of the underserved communities under the Government’s Digital India Initiative. Working in partnership with Atos, NASSCOM Foundation is attempting to take a step towards closing the digital divide in marginalized communities of Dharavi in Mumbai, Sri Chakkra Nagar in Chennai and Sunder Nagar in Pune and in another similar underserved community in Bangalore by helping individuals harness the power of digital technology and develop necessary skills to start using them with confidence”.
The National Digital Literacy Mission is a far-sighted, dynamic and integrated platform of digital literacy awareness, education and capacity programmes that will help rural and the underserved communities fully participate in the global digital economy. NASSCOM Foundation is the industry partner to the Government of India to accomplish the first phase goal for NDLM or ‘DISHA’ by making 52.5 lakh individuals in India digitally literate in the next four years.