NASSCOM Foundation announces digital outreach programme in 7 states

Bengaluru, Sep 28 (IANS) The NASSCOM Foundation on Wednesday announced its collaboration with DXC Technology to empower marginalised communities with digital capabilities and skill Indian youth as part of an eight-month project.

The NASSCOM Foundation and DXC Technology will be working towards the common goal of bridging the skills gap that the youth in India faces today, and address the digital divide, especially in Tier-II and Tier-III cities where there are accessibility constraints.

This project closely aligns with leveraging technology for social good and for improving the quality of life of the local community and society at large. The aim is also to contribute to economic development across communities, in keeping with the Digital India vision.

The scope of this partnership will have two key focus areas -- within the ambit of the first category, 20 'Resource Centres for Digital Literacy and e-Governance' will be established in aspirational districts spread across seven states including Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

These Resource Centres will help in creating agents of change and engines of development by providing need-based information, e-resources and an array of digital services that will impact citizens' lives and livelihoods in alignment with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

The Resource Centres will be equipped with digital assets like computers and printers, online resources like subscriptions to informative pages/channels and physical resources such as books, magazines, and newsletters to make digital tools accessible to the entire community. The communities will be connected to government schemes and e-governance services in addition to receiving training in digital skills.

The skill-building initiative, on the other hand, strives to prepare India's youth for a digital future. Through this initiative, young people in India will receive advanced technical training that will improve their employability skills to meet market demands, and 60% of the beneficiaries will also receive support with job placements after successfully completing the course.

Nidhi Bhasin, CEO, NASSCOM Foundation said, "We have always recognised India's demographic dividend as one of its greatest assets. However, what needs to be addressed is the ever-increasing digital divide in the country. A holistic approach, embedded in digital empowerment is the need of the hour, that not only bridges the digital divide but also makes the youth future ready."

The next eight months will be critical in proving that technology can enable transformation at scale, especially when the right partners come together with a shared vision, she said.

Nachiket Sukhtankar, DXC Global Delivery Network Lead, and Managing Director, DXC India said, "DXC's social responsibility mission is to strengthen the backbone of our society by enabling the youth with the right education and skilling opportunities. In today's digital world, if young minds and especially young women of the country are empowered with the knowledge of technology and important life skills, we can transform the future for the better."