The RIV was envisaged as a chain of computerised integrated citizen service centres aimed to provide electronically deliverable services to the rural areas in an efficient, reliable, transparent and integrated manner.
However, a significant number of the RIVs are unable to sustain and have closed shops. Presently, close to 600 are working. Further, cases of financial misappropriation are rising. At least five such cases have been reported in West Godavari and Krishna districts.
Of the 94 RIVs in Krishna district, as many as 24 have pulled down the shutters permanently. The total number of transactions per month by the remaining 74 RIVs in the district is a paltry 30,000, while the urban e-Seva transactions are a whopping 3.30 lakh.
The situation is much the same in other districts too.
Waking up to the troubling realities, the State Government had in July this year, handed over the control of the RIVs from the Youth Welfare department to the urban e-Seva. While transfer has taken place in some districts like Krishna, districts like West Godavari are yet to take control of the RIVs.
Even in districts where the transfer has taken place, monitoring is becoming increasingly difficult as urban e-Sevas work on Intranet and the RIVs work on Internet. The monitoring officers are yet to be provided with computers having Internet access.
Similarly, the operations of RIV are performed Offline ie. the daily operation details are uploaded only at the end of the day in excel sheets, while the urban e-Seva operations are online and can be monitored on real time basis.
“Unless more services are offered by the RIVs, their sustainability would always remain a matter of serious concern. Presently, we are transacting only power bills. An agreement was reached a year ago with the BSNL, but the BSNL bill transactions have yet to begin,” said Krishna District Rural e-Seva Centres Association president Yugandhar.
Quelle/Source: Newindpress, 19.11.2006
