Microsoft inks MoU with Maharashtra govt

Microsoft Corporation India has signed a comprehensive MoU
with the Government of Maharashtra. The MoU underlines a joint commitment by
Microsoft and the state government for accelerating IT literacy in the state,
enabling delivery of effective e-governance services and ushering in local
language computing at the grass root.

The MoU underlines Microsoft's commitment to collaborate
with the state government for accelerating IT literacy amongst teachers and
students in government schools under Microsoft's Partners-in-Learning program
wherein teacher training will be facilitated at three Microsoft IT Academies. It
is also aimed at providing efficient Government-to-Government (G2G), Government-
to-Business (G2B) and Government-to-Citizen (G2C) services wherein Microsoft
will serve as a technology provider and consultant for e-governance.

The MoU would also work towards creating locally relevant IT
solutions in Marathi and taking the benefits of IT to the grass root under
Microsoft's Project Bhasha. Here a Marathi language interface will be provided
for Microsoft Windows XP and Microsoft Office 2003 and a Bhasha Language Lab
will be set-up in the state.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Vilasrao
Deshmukh by Microsoft Corporation India's Chairman, Ravi Venkatesan and
Secretary of Industries, VK Jairath. Also present at the signing ceremony were
Microsoft Corporation Windows Client Group VP, Will Poole and Microsoft
Corporation's Emerging Markets VP, Mitra Azizirad.

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