In a major step, the government has decided to provide information and communication technology connectivity to polytechnics on par with the colleges in the country.

"It was decided to provide connectivity to polytechnics also keeping in mind the utility of computer in the technical field," said a source in the HRD Ministry.

He said the decision was taken at the second meeting of the national apex committee here today under the chairmanship of HRD Minister Kapil Sibal.

The Ministry in a statement also said that IIT Rajasthan has been allotted two projects for purchase of low cost access-cum-computing device.

The IIT has been asked to carry out intensive laboratory and field tests across the country to ensure suitability of the device in all geographical region and climatic condition.

The device which costs about 35 USD was unveiled by Sibal about a month back.

He had said that intention of the Ministry was to reduce the cost of the device to 10 USD and it had invited various technical bodies, institutes and individuals to realise this.

At the national apex committee meeting, 19 other projects on the different ICT (information and Communication Technology) heads were also sanctioned.

The 16th meeting of the project approval board of National Mission on Education through ICT also took place simultaneously.