Google to help TS govt upload info in Telugu

The Telangana government, as part of its efforts to make the ‘Digital Telangana’ drive more inclusive, entered into an agreement with Google to reach out to the people of the State and provide information available with it in Telugu.

The government and Google signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect and this effort will see the tech giant collaborating with various government departments to use ‘Navalekha’, its digital publishing tool. It will also help various departments digitise their content in Telugu to make access to information and services on government websites easier for people. Google will collaborate with the government to support its digital literacy vision and aid in the overall digitisation agenda of the State.

Principal Secretary IT and Industries Jayesh Ranjan, who described Google as “a trusted partner of Telangana” which already has its office in Hyderabad, said it was also in the process of setting up its second largest campus in the city.

“Availability of content in the native



language on the Internet is essential for all citizens of Telangana. The collaboration is to realise the vision of Internet for all, which is part of ‘Digital Telangana’. Increasing availability of native language content on the Internet will also improve usability of Google Maps in rural regions,” Ranjan said on Wednesday.

Google’s India and South Asia director (public policy) Chetan Krishnaswamy said: “Access to the government’s vast pool of information online in local languages can significantly contribute to developing an inclusive web experience for all citizens. We look forward to working with the State government to develop an enabling environment and helping bring benefits of the Internet to every citizen”.

The new effort is in continuation of Google’s collaboration with the State government, which already rolled out a number of initiatives aimed towards bridging the digital divide, mentoring local startups, and enabling small and medium businesses to gain from the Internet.