Govt launches Vikaspedia, local content development tools

The portal at present has initial information on health, agriculture, education, social welfare, energy and e-governance

Government today announced launch of an online information guide, Vikaspedia, for social sectors, and software tools to develop internet based content in local languages.

"Vikaspedia is part of democratisation of information. Earlier, for some information people had to pay but now most of it will be made available for which they don't have to pay," J Satyanarayana, Secretary, Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DEITY), said while launching the portal.

The Vikaspedia portal at present has initial information on health, agriculture, education, social welfare, energy and e-governance and in coming days it will keep adding more information.

"The portal at present can be accessed in five Indian languages. There is plan to make it accessible in all 22 Indian languages as we move forward," DEITY Joint Secretary Rajendra Kumar said.

The government also announced launch of software tools.

"We have used localisation.Gov.In tools for converting content of 7 e-governance mission mode projects initially, which include content of health , e-district programme, public distribution system, pension, educations and agriculture," Kumar said.

Government also awarded application developer for making mobile application using information and tools provided by DEITY under its e-governance programme.

"The open data app challenge was started in August and completed in October which is remarkable for any of government," NASSCOM President R Chandrashekhar said.

Most of mobile application that won prizes were related to agriculture providing latest information in nearby markets.

A mobile application providing information on mining and another on tourism also won cash prize of Rs 1 lakh each.