Technology company Google has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Assam to promote digital growth and development in the state. Under the initiative, Google will collaborate with the Assam Government’s Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship Department (SEED) to strengthen their school digitisation efforts with digital learning tools and solutions to aid teaching and learning, an official statement said. The company will further promote the fundamentals of online safety and digital citizenship among school children through the ‘Be Internet Awesome’ programme, the statement added.
“Our vision is to transform Assam and make its economy amongst the country’s leading growth drivers. The collaboration with Google will bring the best of digital tools and technology to classrooms across the state and create new skilling opportunities. These programmes will go a long way in empowering our children and our youth in developing critical skills and for wider job and career opportunities,” Himanta Biswa Sarma, chief minister, Government of Assam, said.
Google will further extend scholarships for Google Career Certificates to Assam’s youth in collaboration with the Assam Skill Development Mission (ASDM), as per the statement.
Further, Sanjay Gupta, country head, vice president, Google India, said, the MOU aims to help in modernizing education for the next generation, “while also building awareness about online safety so children can reap the benefits of the internet.” “We look forward to working together as we accelerate digital adoption and unlock the value of the internet for children and youth, setting them on a path of growth and equipping them with essential training and skill-sets to succeed in the fast growing digital economy of India,” he said.
Google has previously collaborated with the state Government to increase internet penetration across Assam and support the government’s efforts on women empowerment, internet safety, skill development and universal education. In 2018, Dibrugarh train station became the 400th railway station in India to become WiFi-enabled under Google’s joint initiative with Indian Railways and RailTel, the statement said. Most recently, Assamese was added to the list of languages available in Google Translate, it mentioned.
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