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MS plans 50,000 kiosks in rural area
It would provide local entrepreneurs a chance to set up and manage kiosks on a self-sustaining basis for providing content and services to the rural populace.
Microsoft Corporation India on Wednesday announced to set up 50,000 IT kiosks in the rural areas in the next three years. It aimed at providing a wide range of information and services related to land, health, education, communication and agriculture in villages.
To begin with, the kiosks will be set up in six states -- Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Rajasthan.
It would provide local entrepreneurs a chance to set up and manage kiosks on a self-sustaining basis for providing content and services to the rural populace.
Announcing its new rural initiative called 'Saksham', Microsoft India Managing Director Neelam Dhawan said, "So far, IT has been viewed as a means for social development of the rural population, but we believe that it also serve as the driver for economic growth."
Regarding profitibility of the venture, Dhawan said that in the long run off course it would be profitable but in the short run MS was not looking for big revenue. She said profit would depend on how fast we make it a success.
Ranjivjit Singh, Microsoft India Group Director (Consumer Business) said, "This is a great start but our larger aim is to reach more than 50 per cent of the rural population within three years."
Microsoft will provide technical support and traning to the local youth, who would manage these kiosks. The operators can charge a fee for various services and generate revenues to pay back their loans to the bank.
To set up a kiosk an initial expenditure of Rs 25,000 to 70,000 is required. Microsoft has entered into partnership with with three non-government agencies - Drishti, Jaikisan and n-Logue - to roll out these kiosks. Besides the software, the MS will also help in strategic investments like generators, battery back-ups, etc. It is is also in talks with banking institutions such like State Bank of India to provide funding to local entrepreneurs, Dhawan said. Singh said that BSNL is providing braodband connectivity to all the areas.
Microsoft is also developing a rural portal powered with content and applications for the rural areas by working with regional and local independent software vendor.
Commenting on the research that has gone into the initiative, Singh said MS conducted research at 350 kiosks covering 4,000 users across six states before finalising the plan. In the process they realised that the people were lokking for a both online and offline services to cater to their socio-economic needs. The kiosks have been designed to meet these requirements.
