Assam signs an MoU with Google to spread internet connectivity to remote areas and promote digital literacy

The Assam government on Thursday signed an MoU with Google India Pvt Ltd to take Internet **connectivity** to the remotest part of the north-eastern state.

[caption id=“attachment_2988810” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. PTI[/caption] Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the government would work to **provide** Internet connections to 26,000 villages and 1,500 tea garden areas in Assam under the MoU and thus increase digital literacy. Information Technology Secretary Nitin Khare and Google India Country Head (Policy) Chetan Krishnaswami signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the presence of Sonowal. “Technology rules the roost in the 21st century and the state government has upped the ante to use technology to carry forward the fruits of development to the remotest parts of Assam,” the Chief Minister said. He said the ties with Google was a way forward to strongly pitch Guwahati as a natural gateway to the South-East Asian countries. Sonowal said his government is in sync with the Centre and was working for the success of Startup initiative but success of such programmes sans technology would be a distant dream. “The MoU will be used as a launchpad to achieve the state government’s vision of women empowerment, skill development, and universal education,” he said. The Chief Minister asked the Information Technology department to take steps to make technology acceptable and favourable among the rural populace so as to catalyse rural development.