CGI partners Nasscom to boost digital literacy

CGI Group, in partnership with Nasscom Foundation, inaugurated its second National Digital Literacy Mission Centre in India. The centre is located in Rasoolpura, Hyderabad, and is designed to support the Government of India’s National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM).

The centre will benefit approximately 1,000 people through training on the use of digital devices like computers and mobile phones. Once trained, the beneficiaries will be able to connect with other people through email and social media, purchase from e-commerce sites, pay bills online, and access online government services with ease. It follows CGI’s first Digital Literacy Centre launched in KR Puram area of Bangalore on August 11. CGI also plans to launch two more centres in November, one in Chennai and another in Bangalore.

“Improving the social, economic and environmental well-being of the communities, in which we live and work, is one of CGI’s commitments to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR),” said George Mattackal, president of CGI’s Asia Pacific Global Delivery Centres of Excellence. “Opening our second Digital Literacy Centre is a product of this commitment, and a fulfilment of our strategic goal of being responsible corporate citizens,” he added. 

To help create a digital ecosystem where technology is a part of everyday life for all citizens, the centre is envisioned under NDLM’s three main objectives: building digitally literate communities through information and communication technology (ICT) training, creating opportunities for industries to enhance digital literacy in India, and deploying citizen services to reduce the number of barriers in accessing citizen services by underserved communities.

The Centre for Action on Disabled Rights and Empowerment (CADRE) is the implementation partner for the program and is responsible for operations and community engagement. Specializing in working with Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), CADRE also will teach digital literacy skills to differently abled people. NASSCOM Foundation is the overall owner of the program and will provide monitoring and impact assessments. The Foundation is the Industry secretariat to the Government of India for Digital Literacy trainings. 

“The NASSCOM Foundation has been educating people on digital literacy since 2014. The Foundation prides itself in training over 1-Lakh people through its 160 plus digital literacy centres. I urge everyone to come forward and volunteer to train underserved people around them on digital literacy and to help India become a stronger digital economy,” said Ashok Pamidi, CEO at NASSCOM Foundation.