The Hindu Business Line : MS unveils rural thrust; to roll out 50,000 kiosks

SOFTWARE major Microsoft Corporation India on Wednesday announced its rural IT initiative `Saksham' under which the company would partner with non-governmental agencies, including Drishti, Jai Kisan and n-Logue, to roll out 50,000 kiosks over the next three years.

These IT kiosks would provide information and services related to health, education, communication and agriculture, besides Government-to-citizen services, including land records.

"We will set up 50,000 kiosks across India over the next three years. This is a good start but our larger aim is to reach more than 50 per cent of the rural population within three years," Mr Ranjivjit Singh, Group Director, Consumer Business, Microsoft India, said at a conference here.

The company would also develop a rural portal powered with content and applications aimed at rural segment, by working with regional and local Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), including Astrowix, Idealake, and Vortex. The initiative is expected to provide local entrepreneurs opportunities to set up and manage kiosks on a self-sustaining basis and provide content and services to the rural community.

The software major will provide technical support and training 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, Mr Singh pointed out.

"We are also in talks with banking institutions including State Bank of India, which is currently running a pilot with Microsoft and IIIT-Bangalore in Karnataka to provide credit options to entrepreneurs," said Microsoft India Managing Director, Ms Neelam Dhawan.

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MS unveils rural thrust; to roll out 50,000 kiosks