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FOSS related policies - India
Assam Public Software Policy
Excerpts from Section 3.12 of the Assam Government's state IT Policy says:
(a) The Government would promote use of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) in all the departments and State agencies, bodies and authorities.
(b) The State Government would promote manpower development and training in use of FOSS, especially in day to day office works.
(c) The State Government would promote imparting training on FOSS in schools and colleges.
(d)Entrepreneurs/ companies using FOSS for application/website development would be given preference over those using third party packaged applications.
(e)All source codes customized/developed for any State Government body shall be duly archived in a repository, and shall be made available freely to other Government departments.
(f) The Government departments and bodies would ensure that Open Document Format (ODF) is adhered to in creating and storing editable documents, data and information and all applications developed by the respective departments adhere to ODF and other Open Standards and are largely independent of Operating Systems (OS) and web browsers.
(g)The Government departments and bodies would ensure that any generic hardware procured has support for multiple Operating Systems(OS) such as Unix, Linux, Opensolaris and other open source platforms.
The policy mandates open standards and ODF, in particular, which has been advocated open source supporters the open standard for office documents (instead of proprietary .doc, OOXML and other data formats). It also extends beyond software and says that all generic hardware purchased by the government should have support for open source software. The section mandating that source code developed for any State Government body shall be duly archived in a repository, indicates that the policy makers also understand the power of the open source development model.
The entire document is available here:
http://assamgovt.nic.in/pdf/ITPOLICY-2009-Final-Gazette-Style.pdf
Excerpts from Section 3.12 of the Assam Government's state IT Policy says:
(a) The Government would promote use of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) in all the departments and State agencies, bodies and authorities.
(b) The State Government would promote manpower development and training in use of FOSS, especially in day to day office works.
(c) The State Government would promote imparting training on FOSS in schools and colleges.
(d)Entrepreneurs/ companies using FOSS for application/website development would be given preference over those using third party packaged applications.
(e)All source codes customized/developed for any State Government body shall be duly archived in a repository, and shall be made available freely to other Government departments.
(f) The Government departments and bodies would ensure that Open Document Format (ODF) is adhered to in creating and storing editable documents, data and information and all applications developed by the respective departments adhere to ODF and other Open Standards and are largely independent of Operating Systems (OS) and web browsers.
(g)The Government departments and bodies would ensure that any generic hardware procured has support for multiple Operating Systems(OS) such as Unix, Linux, Opensolaris and other open source platforms.
The policy mandates open standards and ODF, in particular, which has been advocated open source supporters the open standard for office documents (instead of proprietary .doc, OOXML and other data formats). It also extends beyond software and says that all generic hardware purchased by the government should have support for open source software. The section mandating that source code developed for any State Government body shall be duly archived in a repository, indicates that the policy makers also understand the power of the open source development model.
The entire document is available here:
http://assamgovt.nic.in/pdf/ITPOLICY-2009-Final-Gazette-Style.pdf
National Policy on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) In School Education - Draft
The revised National Policy on ICT in School Education from MHRD states "Free ware, free and open source software applications will be preferred. Creation and widespread dissemination of software compilations, including specialised software for different subjects, simulations, virtual laboratories, modelling and problem solving applications will be encouraged," To read the policy, click here.
Ensuring adoption of progressive national egovernance standards policy
The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology(MCIT) last year released a Draft policy on Open Standards for eGovernance. This progressive policy mandates adoption of single and wholly public standards in various e-governance projects in India.
However NASSCOM and MAIT have written to the government suggesting changes which will weaken the policy and advance narrow commercial interests over national interests.
However NASSCOM and MAIT have written to the government suggesting changes which will weaken the policy and advance narrow commercial interests over national interests.
IT Policy of Chattisghar promotes FOSS
Chattisghar's IT Policy recognises the need to democratise the information technology ownership, control and use. The state, in order to lower the cost of IT ownership,has decided to promote use of FOSS. The use of FOSS is not merely understood in terms of supplementing to proprietary software. The state is also making efforts to facilitate research and development into the use of FOSS in the fields of education,governance and even for general use.
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FOSS in Kerala's IT policy
FOSS in Kerala IT Policy
IT Policy of Kerala exclusively mentions FOSS. Section 7.6 of the policy highlights the Kerala governments desire to develop and promote their state as the FOSS destination in the country. The policy further mentions under sections 6.6 and 6.7 the preferential treatment given to FOSS in government funded ICT & e-Governance projects to ensure democratic usage of knowledge and accessibility.
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IT Policy of Kerala exclusively mentions FOSS. Section 7.6 of the policy highlights the Kerala governments desire to develop and promote their state as the FOSS destination in the country. The policy further mentions under sections 6.6 and 6.7 the preferential treatment given to FOSS in government funded ICT & e-Governance projects to ensure democratic usage of knowledge and accessibility.
Read Full Text
Open Office circular by the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi
The circular sent out by the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, Department of Information Technology throws light on the benefits of "Open Office" Software. The circular has a detailed list of advantages one can avail using "Open Office Suite" and requests all the heads of the departments to adopt Open Office and not to put up any proposals for proprietary Office Suite in future.
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National Knowledge Commission recommends FOSS
The National Knowledge Commission presented its recommendations on e-Governance to the Minister for Communication and Information Technology. Issues addressed include Open Source Software, Common standards, Web-based Services and National Infrastructure.The commission emphasised on the need for vendor neutrality and transparency in the governments by offering localised data.This makes it clear that the National Knowledge Commission has understood e-Governance in the light of administrative reforms than merely about electronics and information technology infrastructure.
The National Knowledge Commission presented its recommendations on e-Governance to the Minister for Communication and Information Technology. Issues addressed include Open Source Software, Common standards, Web-based Services and National Infrastructure.The commission emphasised on the need for vendor neutrality and transparency in the governments by offering localised data.This makes it clear that the National Knowledge Commission has understood e-Governance in the light of administrative reforms than merely about electronics and information technology infrastructure.
FOSS in the "Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-1012)" ??
Department of Information technology ,Government of India in the context of preparing the Eleventh Five year plan (2007-2012), has constituted a working group on Information Technology Sector. This groups primary focus is to help formulate the plan for communications and Information Sector. Section 4.9 of this plan highlights the need for Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) in India.
Department of Information technology ,Government of India in the context of preparing the Eleventh Five year plan (2007-2012), has constituted a working group on Information Technology Sector. This groups primary focus is to help formulate the plan for communications and Information Sector. Section 4.9 of this plan highlights the need for Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) in India.
Draft Policy on Open Standards for e-Governance
The National Policy on open standards for e-Governance put forward by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Government of India comes with a set of guidelines for the uniform and reliable implementation of e-Governance solutions. The objective of this policy is to ensure open standards for e-Governance by adopting appropriate Information Technology that best suits the governments agenda to promote its interests.
The National Policy on open standards for e-Governance put forward by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Government of India comes with a set of guidelines for the uniform and reliable implementation of e-Governance solutions. The objective of this policy is to ensure open standards for e-Governance by adopting appropriate Information Technology that best suits the governments agenda to promote its interests.
