THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: About 250 computers that were lying unused at the government Secretariat premises is turning out to be valuable assets for the cash-strapped Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) for making baby steps for its major computerisation plans.
Considering a request of the KSRTC, the government allotted the 250 old reusable computers and 12 printers to KSRTC. The 250 computers included about 100 computers with central processing units (CPUs), monitors, key board and monitors, and 150 CPUs alone. KSRTC will be using this for making baby steps for its major computerisation plans.
KSRTC chairman and managing director Tomin J Thachankary told DC that technical officials from KSRTC had examined the computers that were lying unused and only those which could be reused were being taken by the corporation.
The computers will be mainly used for training purposes as the KSRTC is gearing up for computerisation.
"KSRTC is now using DOS-based computer applications. Now we are planning a major computerisation, which includes e-ticketing and traffic management. However owing to financial constraint, the project could not be taken forward. Hence, as I came to know that many reusable computers were remaining unused at secretariat, I approached the government IT department," said Mr. Thachankary.
Government sources said that with the implementation of e-office in all government departments, many computers used in government Secretariat had to be replaced with new ones owing to compatibility issues. Most of the computers were not damaged, but could not be used by secretariat departments. Hence it would have even gone as e-waste.
Reusable computers of Secretariat used to be supplied to institutions like government schools free of cost, but is small numbers only. But it is for the first time that we are supplying reusable computers to a government institution in large numbers, said government sources.
