University of Leeds
From the SelectedWorks of Subhajit Basu
Summer July, 2007
Electronic Government and Digital Inclusion:Examples from IndiaSubhajit Basu, Queen's University Belfast
Available at: https://works.bepress.com/subhajitbasu/40/
Digital Inclusion
ICT for Rural India
Subhajit Basu
School of Law
Queen’s University Belfast
Objective of Development
‘a process of expanding the real ‘a process of expanding the real freedoms that people enjoy’
Amartya Sen (2000)Nobel Laureate in Economics
2
Development
� Development requires removal of sources of disparity:disparity:• Income and non-income (capability) poverty
• Tyranny and intolerance
• Poor economic opportunities and social deprivation
Development
� Removal of Disparity depends on:
• Social and economic arrangements• Social and economic arrangements
• Political and civil rights
• Technological progress
• Social modernisation
Technology in Development
�Technology is Related to
Affluence.Affluence.
�Can Technology Foster
Development?
Technology and Society
How can technology
realistically help bridge realistically help bridge
social divides?
ICT in DevelopmentPROGRESS IN TECHNOLOGY
ICT in Development
ICT in Development
How can ICT bridge How can ICT bridge
social divides?
IndiaIndiaPossible, Probable and Preferable Future
India•Population --1,080,264,388 (around 70% lives in
rural area)
• Area -- 3,287,590 sq km (more than 600,000+
villages)
• Political subdivisions-- 28 states,7 union territories• Political subdivisions-- 28 states,7 union territories
• Literacy--55.2 %
• Per-capita income-- 0.4 $ per day
India
�Can technology make any
difference to these people?difference to these people?
� Can they afford these
technologies?
India: Problem
Associated with ICT Associated with ICT
Projects
Problem Associated with ICT Projects
Intermittent, inconsistent
electrical power
e-choupal kiosk in Kodia, Madhya Pradesh
Problem Associated with ICT Projects
VSAT for kiosk in Kodia, Madhya Pradesh n-Logue corDECT wireless
tower
•Scarce and unreliable telephone system
•Unreliable Internet connectivity
Problem Associated with ICT Projects
Locally relevant content
ICT Applications for Development: India
�Tele-Medicine
� Tele-Agriculture
� e-Veterinary
� e-Education
� e-Governance
� Low cost Rural ATM
� Multiparty Video conferencing
� E-Mail, SMS, Browsing through Low cost
Messaging Terminals
India: ICT Project Examples
Name of the
Project
Purpose Future planes
Akshaya Making a district E-literate, limited
employment generation.
Delivery of multiple service at Akshaya
centers and expand it to other districts
Bhoomi Issue of Land title at 177 Bhoomi kiosks
and through privately owned kiosks
Expand rural kiosk network
Drishtee Creating a network of privately owned
kiosks for e access to info, government
and service commercial
Expand Network to cover new kiosk
E-choupal The prime target is farmer. Farmers get
information about seeds’ price, etc
Scale to more users
N-Logue Multipurpose Internet kiosks based on
WILL
Expand for commercial utilization
Gyandoot Connecting rural cyber café catering the
everyday needs of the masses.
Extend for global Internet
Example: n-Logue
Services:
� Communication
� Education
Computer Education� Computer Education
� Remote tutorial
� Typing
� Photography
� Agriculture
� Veterinary
� Health Care
One Example: n-Logue
Services:
� Communication
� Education
� Computer Education
� Remote tutorial
Email, Chatting, Video conferencing etc
� Typing
� Photography
� Agriculture
� Veterinary
� Health Care
Example: n-Logue Services:
� Communication
� Education
� Computer Education
� Remote tutorial
Teaching computer, distance
education
� Typing
� Photography
� Agriculture
� Veterinary
� Health Care
Rural Education - Pilot ICT in Rural Districts of Pune
ICT in Development
Mobile Computer Labs
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Example: n-Logue
Services:
� Communication
� Education
� Computer Education
� Remote tutorial
DTP, MSWord
� Typing
� Photography
� Agriculture
� Veterinary
� Health Care
KEYLEKH: DEVANAGIRI KEY BOARD (IITB)
Devices for enabling easy input in Indian languages.
Source; Indian Institute of Technology BombaySource; Indian Institute of Technology BombaySource; Indian Institute of Technology BombaySource; Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Example: n-Logue
Services:
� Communication
� Education
� Computer Education
� Remote tutorial
Use of the web cam for photography
� Typing
� Photography
� Agriculture
� Veterinary
� Health Care
Example: n-Logue
Services:
� Communication
� Education
� Computer Education
� Remote tutorial
Weather forecasting, Disease
detection, soil analysis
� Typing
� Photography
� Agriculture
� Veterinary
� Health Care
Q&A forum (IIT-Bombay)
Farmers can access Agri-extension services.
They can ask
questions in their
own language and get information more relevant to the more relevant to the local context.
web-based
archived
searchable
multilingual
FM Radio : Agriculture Dissemination Systems
• Latest Agriculture
technologies
• Weather
• Crop, pesticides,
27
• Crop, pesticides,
seeds
• Goverment Schemes
• Market rates
Pilot ICT Project in Pune
Example: n-Logue Services:
� Communication
� Education
� Computer Education
� Remote tutorial
Consulting with doctors in city by sending
online images of the animal
� Typing
� Photography
� Agriculture
� Veterinary
� Health Care
Services:
� Communication
� Education
� Computer Education
Remote diagnostic tools, Consulting
with doctors in city
n-Logue: Tele-Medicine - Remote Eye Care
� Remote tutorial
� Typing
� Photography
� Agriculture
� Veterinary
� Health Care
A well-water hand-pump
Conclusion: Is a PC the best way to spend $1000 in a poor village?
Mid day Meals in School
A tractor and cart in Madhya Pradesh
Teachers in Karnataka
References
� Paul, J. (2004) What works: n-Logue’s rural
connectivity model. World Resources
Institute.
http://www.digitaldividend.org/pdf/nlogue.pdfhttp://www.digitaldividend.org/pdf/nlogue.pdf
� n-logue website:
http://www.n-logue.com/services.htm
� Different Websites
