Gyandoot: cybercafe-cum-cyber officers for the masses
- 2001
- p.1-14
- Jan-Mar
On January 1, 2000, Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh began the new millennium with a mass-based information revolution. Computers in 26 major centres in five Blocks of the district were connected through an intranet network. These computers have been established in Gram Panchayats. They have been called Soochanalayas. From the Soonchanalaya, user-charge based services are given to the masses and at the same time the information technology related developmental needs of government departments and Panchayats are met free of cost. This intranet system has been named Gyandoot. The entire expenditure for the Gyandoot network has been borne by Panchayats. The network has been set up at a totala cost of Rs.25 lac. The system is very cost-effective. The 45 wired villages of Warana in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra set up last year involved a total investment of 2.5 crore. The computer benefits go principally only to the members of sugarcane and dairy co-operatives in these 45 villages. In the Gyandoot scheme of things, the twenty-six centres where soochnalayas have been established cater not only to the twenty-six villages proper but also to surrounding 25-30 villages. Soochanalayas have been established in the buildings of such Gram Panchayats which are located either at block headquarters or at prominent haat bazaar places or are prominent villages on major roads. Thus, each Soochanalaya caters to approximately 15 Gram Panchayats and about 25 to 30 villages. The benefits cover wide-ranging information needs of all villagers. In all, the Gyandoot network benefits over a half a million villagers living in 311 Gram Panchayats and over 600 villages. All this has been completed in a short span of less than 2 months. The trial run of the system began on January 1, 2000 and the system was dedicated to the public by the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Digvijay Singh at the Deharisarai Soochanalaya on January 12, 2000. - Reproduced
Panchayat - India - Madhya Pradesh Internet - India - Madhya Pradesh Internet