This project is part of the IT application programme at state agencies from 2009 to 2010. According to Head of the IT Application Agency under the Ministry of Information and Communications, Nguyen Thanh Phuc, wireless technology will be applied at the offices of People’s Committees firstly and then in other agencies.

Technology will be upgraded gradually in line with the common trend in Vietnam. The above agencies were selected for this pilot programme thanks to their high readiness for IT application and their good technological infrastructure.

In addition, two tourist sites, Sapa and Ha Long, have been chosen to provide free wireless Internet services for tourists.

The Ministry of Information and Communications organised a meeting to hear the opinions of ministries, sectors and provinces on the draft programme on IT application at state agencies from 2009 to 2010 on April 8.

This programme aims to build an electronic portal for state employees, three national databases on population, geography, and geographic-based information, and one to three standby national data centres. Under this programme, online ask and answer and online dialogue programmes will be tested at the four above ministries and six localities.

Previously the government approved this programme at a cost of around VND200 billion (nearly US$3.1 million) for 49 provinces to implement some IT applications this year.

(Source: VNE)