"All the 11 key sectors are Y2K ready and fully geared up to ensure a smoothtransition into the new millennium," the Government said in a statement. Theother critical sectors are banking and finance, insurance, power,telecommunications, railways, civil aviation, ports, petroleum and naturalgas.

"Detailed sectoral contingency plans have been put in place," it added.The Government has also set up a special Y2K control room which will beoperational from 10:00 AM (0430 GMT) on December 28 until 8:00 PM (1430 GMT)on January 3, 2000, the statement said.

The National Control Room (NCR) will be connected to control rooms of the 11critical sectors as well as state and district headquarters. The controlroom will also be in touch with control centres of other countries.

"As New Zealand and Australia are the first countries to experience thetransition into the new millennium, the information received from them wouldbe shared with everyone immediately on receipt," the statement said.

The central control room of the Confederation of Indian Industry, which willcoordinate with the private corporate sector, will also be linked to theNCR, it added.

CII said its control room would be open from December 31, 1999, to January3, 2000. CII will also liaise with the hardware, software and processcontrol providers to respond to specific queries from members and industry.