Google India and the Government of Telangana have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support the digitisation efforts in the State.
The announcement was made after a meeting between KT. Rama Rao, Minister for IT E&C, MAUD, Industries & Commerce, Mines & Geology, Public Enterprises and NRI Affairs, and Google India representatives.
As part of the MoU, Google India will provide Google Cloud credits and access to all cloud platform products to eligible startups engaged with Telangana government’s T-Hub initiative and through its Developer Relations team provide technical mentorship and advisory support to various startups.
Both sides will also make all government sites mobile friendly and introduce programmes to help local small and medium businesses get online and stay safe online. Google India will introduce Android Fundamentals courses for students pursuing B.Tech/BE & MCA to skill them on mobile app development.
Google as part of Google Cultural Institute project also will work with the Culture and Tourism Department of the State to create a digital repository of the architectural and cultural heritage, its history and imagery and make it accessible globally.
Google and the Government of Telangana will also promote digital literacy among rural women in Telangana through the ‘Internet Saathi’ programme. It will start by training women trainers identified from Self Help Groups and Women’s federations which are overseen and facilitated by Tata Trusts through its field partners on ground. These master trainers called “Saathis” will further train more women in their own and neighbouring villages.
Chetan Krishnaswamy, director- Public Policy, Google India said “We look forward to working with the State government to create an enabling environment and ecosystem to help women, students, small and medium businesses and entrepreneurs to realise the full potential of the internet and the opportunities it offers.”
KT. Rama Rao said “Google is a valuable partner of the State of Telangana and we are excited to launch many initiatives with them that will benefit women, small businesses, youth, and others across our state.
Our mission is to Digitize Telangana and a partnership with Google will go a long way in ensuring our plans under the Digitize Telangana programme are achieved.”
Source: Telangana Today