Tuesday, July 12 2005 12:01 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: IT minister Dayanidhi Maran on Monday (July 11, 2005) took a dig at software major Microsoft saying the poor computer adoption in India was courtesy the 'high priced' software, while the MNC claimed that it has already reduced the price of one of its entry level operating system by more than half.

"India has only 15 million computers and an internet penetration level of 0.5 per cent. With less than five per cent people having English knowledge and 22 official languages, the adoption of computers remain abysmally low courtesy Microsoft which always charges high price for its software, among other reasons", Maran said while speaking at the Jamshedji Tata National Virtual Academy function.

Ravi Venkatesan, Chairman, Microsoft India said Microsoft was already offering at less than half prices of its entry-level operating system.

"Our Windows XP Starter Edition is available at even less than 50 per cent of the prices of Windows Home Edition", he said.

Even as Venkatesan did not disclose the price of Starter Edition, industry sources said it is available at below Rs 2,000 level.

Venkatesan said Microsoft remained committed to bring down the cost of access in India and it is not just software but the entire ecosystem of hardware, software, broadband and content all have to be made affordable.

"A proper affordable monthly instalment scheme has to be in place as is in the mobile phones or car where the customer had to pay for the cost of computer through EMI (Equated Monthly Instalments) and not upfront", he said.