The Hindu Business Line : `IT is a tool, not panacea, to solve societal issues'

"It is just a tool to solve the problems you wish to solve," he said, delivering the keynote address at the national e-governance seminar on `Health-Farm IT' here on Thursday.

In the pre-recorded speech, he said the tool could be effectively used to achieve economic, personal and social development.

Economic development could be achieved by means of providing access to jobs. IT is useful for personal development by way of e-learning and offering healthcare solutions. It provided solutions for e-democracy and e-governance to ensure social development.

He, however, said that there were certain limitations in reaching out to people speaking different languages. This problem could be addressed by appointing village-level interpreters.

Prof. Raj Reddy expressed concern at the very low infant mortality rate in the State. "Andhra Pradesh is backward when compared to its neighbours Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Even within the State, there are disparities," he said.

He stressed on the need for communication to spread the message about healthcare.

Stating that information technology had a role to play in healthcare and agriculture, he said that there were four necessary conditions for ensuring effective communication.