The draft of the national programme on developing information technology by 2020 had clarified six pillars, said the Ministry of Information and Communication's Information Technology Department at a conference in Ha Noi yesterday.

The pillars included policy environment, IT human resources, enterprises and brand name development, products and markets, attracting investment into IT zones and developing open sources (that promotes free redistribution and access to an end product's design and implementation details).

The total State budget support for the programme would be VND2.34 trillion (US$111 million).

The country would supplement and invest in software production projects. Digital content, hardware-electrics and IT services would be among projects to get preferential credit.

In addition, Viet Nam would research and revise tax policies and establish IT human resource development funds and an IT development fund.

The Government would support short-term training courses for businesses and organisations and partly fund the cost of sitting exams for international IT certificates.

To develop IT enterprises, the Government would provide a part of investment to build and apply standards, namely ISO 27001 (part of ISO 27000 family standards referring to information technology, security techniques, information security management systems and requirements), ISO 20000 (the first international standard for IT service management) and CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration is a process improvement approach that provides organisations with the essential elements of effective processes, which will improve their performance) as well as supporting them to buy foreign prestigious trade marks.

The ministry said Viet Nam would give priority to key IT products and services, establishing a revising board with representatives from various relevant ministries and the Viet Nam Development Bank to revise production plans and key IT products and services proposed by businesses.

It would also focus on developing specific IT products in State administrative management, banking, finance, national defence and transport areas as well as providing orientation for other services, including software for telecommunication equipment, digital content for mobile phones, internet television and social networks. 

Source: VNS