Seminar on Digital Opportunity for all: ICTs and the fight against Poverty

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Seminar on Digital Opportunity for all ICTs and
the fight against Poverty

• 29th July 1st August 2002
• Ritu Pande
• Asstt. Director General
• Department of Telecom
• Government of India

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29 States 6 Union Territories.
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INDIA A Profile

• More than 1 billion people
• An area of more than 3.2 million sq. kms.
• Largest Democracy in the World
• Attractive investment destination
• Vibrant capital markets
• Poverty eradicationbig challenge
• According to World Bank estimates, 330 million
  people live  on the equivalent of less than 1
  per day per capita, compared to 46 per day per
  capita in the US.

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Telecom Infrastructure

• No of DELs
• Rural DELs
• Teledensity
• Rural Teledensity
• Cellular Subscribers
• Growth Rate

• 38.45 million
• 9.02 million
• 4.4
• Crossed one
• 6.40 million
• 22.77

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Telecom Infrastructure

• VPTs
• Internet Nodes
• Internet Subscribers
• PCOs

• .469 Million
• 700
• 3.2 million
• 1.65 million

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E-Governance and Rural Convergence Project
Gramdoot

• In literal terms, Gramdoot means Village
  Messenger. It is a local Internet Kiosk managed
  by a villager ,establishing connectivity for each
  Village to district and state Headquarters with
  optical fibre.
• The objective of the project is to deliver
  various services like Voice, Data, Video etc. on
  a single medium Optical Fibre.
• Project is to be carried out in the state of
  Rajasthan 400 Villages.
• Gramdoot is a self-sustaining, self-employed,
  service oriented effort, collecting revenue from
  services offered to the villagers.

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Project Gramdoot - Model

• The Gramdoot charges for event based service
  ensuring reliable and long term quality
  operation.
• Services to be provided
• E-Governance
• Distance Education
• Telemedicine
• Internet
• E-Mail/Voice Mail
• Entertainment
• CATV

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E-Governance Services

• -Copies of Land Records
• -Complaint redressal facility
• -Applications for learning Driving License and
  Ration Card.
• - Applications for Caste, domicile, income
  other certificates.
• -Information about prices of agri-produce
• -Rural e-mail account
• -On-line market information
• -information about potential brides/ grooms
• -Common questions from farmers/citizens on
  agriculture, tax, education etc.
• -Single window for applications

• Jamabandi
• Shikayat On-line
• Avedan Patra
• Praman Patra
• Mandi Bhav
• Gram Dak
• Gram Hat
• Vaivahiki
• Sawaal Aapke
• Ekal Khidki

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Some ExamplesComplaint Redressal

• Health related complaintsFor Medical relief
  card,against non-supply of medicines and others.
• Water related complaintsConcerning
  non-functioning of handpumps,inappropriate
  coordination in water supply,new suggestions for
  water supply.
• Complaints related to rural developmentRoads,elec
  tricity etc.

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Some ExamplesSocial welfare schemes

• Health care
• Pensions and old age schemes like widow
  pensions,handicapped pensions,old age pensions
• Welfare schemes for women and child welfare

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Some ExamplesPrice Information for Buying
household and other goods

• Consumables
• Agricultural products
• Handicrafts
• Domestic animals
• Vehicles
• Furniture
• Other items

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Revenue Model

• The Gramdoot charges for event based services
  ensuring reliable and long-term quality operation
• Rs. 5 to 20/- for e-governance services
• Broadband Internet at Rs.10/- per ½ hour
• Entertainment, on use based Rs.5/- to 25/-
• Rs. 100/- to 200/- per month for CATV service
• Educational, telemedicine services to be
  implemented presently on pilot basis

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Present Status Of Implementation Of Gramdoot

• 110 villages connected by fibre network
• 51 Links Established
• 9 Kiosks Established
• 6 Kiosks commissioned - (Rampur Dabri, Jetpura,
  Anantpura, Chomu-1, Chomu-2, Chomu-3)

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Help From The State Government

• 1. Computerization of various records
• 2. Administrative clearance
• 3. Right of Way on electricity poles, underground
  etc.
• 4. Exemption from taxes for various services
• 5. Gram Panchayat rooms for establishing Gramdoot

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Investment

• Investment per Gramdoot from state Headend to
  Gramdoot in the village is about 10,400 US .
• 50 investment by Optical Service Providers
• 25 by the Gramdoot
• Balance by value adding partner or debt
• Revenue generated is shared by the operating
  partners ensuring good long term service
• The model is entrepreneurial, self sustaining,
  scalable and replicable.
• Presently village clusters with greater than 300
  to 400 households viable

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Future E-Governance Services

• Collection of revenue, stamp duty, transfer duty
  and registration fees
• Information for immunization and clinical care,
  maternity services and e-medicine
• Registration of new vehicles, transfer of
  ownership and issue/ renewal of driving license
• Collection and Distribution of all utility bills
  and taxes
• Reservation of bus tickets and information about
  fares timetable

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Benefits to the people

• Empowerment of the rural masses
• Smart Governance
• Computerised Gram panchayats and distance
  education
• Generate employment for rural youth directly and
  further indirectly in industry producing
  components and erection of network
• Promote an entrepreneurial environment
• Villagers have access to products and services
  available only to city dwellers so far.

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The future---

• 600,000 villages in India
• At least 200,000 can be brought under this
  project
• Bridging the Digital Divide
• IT enabled rural population
• Would prevent migration to and overburdening in
  the cities.

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Thank You.