The ICT kiosks will be deployed across 200 small towns and rural regions pan India and will be operated on a franchisee-based model offering budding entrepreneurs across the rural landscape to use technology for e-commerce, education and e-governance.
The ICT kiosks will provide the following benefits to the rural community:
- Better communication and access to information through all round connectivity
- Platform to acquire skills sets, undertake e-literacy programs for ordinary citizens
- Distribution of e-content useful to common man in local language across distant locations
- Creation of employment opportunities
"Today's partnership delivers a variety of digital services nationwide, empower people and the way people live, work and communicate. The ICT kiosks will not only provide a platform for exchange of information and knowledge, but also serve as a platform to create over 15,000 jobs and self employment opportunities," said Pranav Roach, President and CEO, Hughes Network Systems, India.
Rohit Kumar, Country Head - Public Sector, Microsoft, said, "Connectivity is a key challenge in creating a digitally inclusive society and this partnership is a step towards our aim of providing a holistic ecosystem under 'Project Saksham' at the ground level and enable the rural ecosystem."
Tarun Malik, Head - Rural Computing, Microsoft, said, "This is a reiteration of our efforts to forge successful partnerships to create a highly sustainable and scalable ecosystem. Together we aim to drive technology access at the grass root level to enable socio economic development of rural communities."
As part of the project, Hughes will provide a business model to enable successful kiosk penetration in rural India offering B2B and B2C services. Hughes would leverage its satellite broadband platform to the remotest pockets of India. The company will also offer other services including broadband services, Internet access, value added services, prepaid top ups, international voice calling and education services through the Hughes-Fusion centers.
Microsoft under its 'Saksham' initiative will create an engagement model with kiosks service providers and various governments for delivering e-government and other B2B services. As an effort to impact the sustenance of the kiosk owner, Microsoft will also offer a 12 day IT literacy program for kiosks operators aimed at helping the operator to become IT literate so as to enable him to further offer IT literacy programs to the community. This training will be provided free of cost to the Kiosk operator and will be conducted in more than 60 locations across India.
Powered by HughesNet satellite broadband network and Microsoft's platform, the kiosks will be run and managed by local entrepreneurs for providing the content and services to the people that would ensure a sustainable return on investment.
Quelle/Source: IT News Online, 29.09.2006
