Says discussions ongoing with India to adopt a similar system to India’s ‘Aadhaar ‘

The ‘INFOTEL Information Technology Exhibition,’ organized by the Federation of Information Technology Industry Sri Lanka (FITIS), kicked off at the Bandaranaike International Conference Hall (BMICH) on Nov 3. The event, aptly themed ‘Fuelling the Digital Economy,’ aligns with President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visionary initiative to modernize Sri Lanka through digitization. It is being conducted under the auspices of the State Ministry of Technology and was concluded yesterday.

Acknowledging that the shift to the digital economy was a necessity rather than a choice, President Ranil Wickremesinghe outlined two key areas of focus. Firstly, he highlighted the need for enhancing human resources, especially in the education sector. He called on all stakeholders to address these challenges, particularly in the areas of education and market strategy, recognizing that time is of the essence to prevent technology from overtaking the nation’s progress. Mainly collaborative efforts are needed to supplement the school system and improve teacher training, implementing a crash program to address immediate educational needs. Secondly, the President stressed the importance of post-school training at both technical and graduate levels. He suggested that the industry should play a role in offering training programs, whether for-profit or not-for-profit. He encouraged the establishment of institutions that could help meet the growing demand for skilled professionals.

The President also urged the industry to devise a strategy for market penetration, recognizing the importance of reaching a $16 billion market goal. He stressed that achieving market penetration required a well-thought-out plan and called upon industry associations to collaborate in formulating such a strategy.

President Wickremesinghe outlined the significance of the Aadhaar system, the world’s largest biometric ID system and its integration into the Sri Lankan digital landscape. He stressed the need to streamline the distribution of government funds to beneficiaries, mentioning on-going discussions with India to adopt the entire Aadhaar system.