The Hindu Business Line : Microsoft rural portal to feature Vortex tool

Vortex Technologies has developed software that helps provide value-added services to rural people. The software will be made available on Microsoft's rural portal to be launched soon.

Softrack.net from Vortex Technologies is tailored to help people bring up issues to the authorities concerned via the rural e-governance initiatives being implemented by various State governments.

At the software's launch, Mr V.V.V. Satya, CEO of Vortex, said the National Informatics Centre has decided to offer the software to nine select members of Parliament for helping them monitor development initiatives in their constituencies.

Launch shortly

The Head of Microsoft's Rural Computing, Mr Tarun Malik, said Softrack would be part of the company's IT initiative — SAKSHAM (self-sustaining), under which the company plans to roll out 50,000 kiosks over the next three years.

He said Microsoft was working with various State governments in rural e-governance projects. It plans to partner with companies such as Vortex Technologies, as well as big companies, to bring in various features in its rural portal, which will be launched in the next few months.

Launching the product, the Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Mr K.R. Suresh Reddy, said IT should be used to bridge the rural-urban divide. He suggested that simple software should help the introduction of e-petitions, which will get a villager's query answered in the Assembly by the Minister concerned. It could be routed through the Rajiv Internet Village Kiosks coming up in the State.

Substantial scope

The President of the Hyderabad Software Exporters Association, Mr Kedarnath Udiyavar said, "Large Indian IT companies are still not concentrating on their backyard. There is scope for application of software in the rural context to improve the quality of services and life of the poor."

The Vijayawada M.P. and Industrialist, Mr L. Rajagopal, who is a user of the software said it has helped him better understand, appreciate and solve the problems of the people in his constituency.

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