Overview Overview –– ICT4SEDICT4SED

UdayUday DesaiDesaiDepartment of Electrical EngineeringDepartment of Electrical Engineering

www.ee.iitb.ac.in/~ubdesaiwww.ee.iitb.ac.in/~ubdesaiubdesai@ee.iitb.ac.inubdesai@ee.iitb.ac.in

ICT as a Socio-Political-Techno System

ICT for

Development

Technology

Industry /Local Entrep.

Govt. / Policy

CommunityOrganization

Financial Institutions

Use of ICT for Bridging DigitalUse of ICT for Bridging Digital--XX

Education DivideEducation DivideHealth DivideHealth DivideIncome DivideIncome DivideOpportunity DivideOpportunity DivideImprove quality of lifeImprove quality of life

Many in the upper strata of the society have Many in the upper strata of the society have benefited from ICTbenefited from ICTThe question today is: How can we take this benefit The question today is: How can we take this benefit to a much larger section of the society; rural areas to a much larger section of the society; rural areas and small townsand small towns

PURA: Providing Urban Amenities to Rural Areas PURA: Providing Urban Amenities to Rural Areas ((www.presidentofindia.nic.inwww.presidentofindia.nic.in))

Some Illustrative ExamplesSome Illustrative Examples

• Village in Madurai• Lady’s finger was turning

yellow• Web-cam image was sent to

Madurai Agriculture college• They diagnosed it as “yellow mosaic

disease” and suggested a remedy• The farmer was able to save

nearly one lakkh

Before

After

ICT support for Agriculture (TeNeT -IITM)

• Goat had a wound near its mouth

• Could not eat• A web-cam picture sent to the vet college in Madurai

• The suggestions from the vet cured the goat in two days

ICT for Veterinary Support (TeNeT-IITM)

Rural ATMRural ATM

• Urban ATMs cost Rs.8 lakhs

• Develop a rural ATM forRs. 40k

• Will generatecash flow inrural areas atmarket definedinterest rates

aAQUA 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 local context.

web-basedarchivedsearchablemultilingual

Bhav Puchiye – What is the Price? (IITB)

Keylekh: Devanagiri Key Board (IITB)

Devices for enabling easy input in Indian languages.

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

Proposed Models for Proposed Models for on the fieldon the field assessment assessment of of microcreditmicrocredit riskrisk

Model 1:• Field Operator uses SMS enabled GSM phone• Risk assessment is carried out on a central server• SMS are used as a communication medium

Model 2:• Field Operator uses GPRS/3G enabled Smart Phone• Risk assessment is carried out on the phone itself • SMS are used as a communication medium

Visual Acuity Test (HP-IITM R & D Labs)

Voice Based InterfacesVoice Based Interfaces

Partial List of Some ICT4D projects in IndiaPartial List of Some ICT4D projects in India

eSevaeSeva, Integrated Citizen , Integrated Citizen Services, Andhra Pradesh Services, Andhra Pradesh LokLok MitraMitra and Jan and Jan MitraMitraProjects from Rajasthan Projects from Rajasthan ee-- BillPostBillPost and eand e-- Post Services Post Services of the Department of Postsof the Department of PostsRASI (Rural Access to Services RASI (Rural Access to Services through the Internet) earlier through the Internet) earlier called SARI and ncalled SARI and n-- Logue Logue Communications Communications GyandootGyandootCommunity Information Community Information CentresCentres (CIC) Project (Dept. (CIC) Project (Dept. of Info Tech., of Info Tech., Govt.ofGovt.of India)India)BhoomiBhoomi

DrishteeDrishtee dot. com Ltd. dot. com Ltd. ITC ITC eChoupaleChoupalKuppamKuppam ii-- community, Andhra community, Andhra PradeshPradeshAkshayaAkshaya-- KeralaKerala Govt'sGovt'sHundred Percent ICT Literacy Hundred Percent ICT Literacy ProjectProjectInformation Village Research Information Village Research ProjectProject-- IVRP by MSSRF IVRP by MSSRF SwayamSwayam KrishiKrishi SangamSangam (SKS) (SKS) TARAhaatTARAhaatGRAMDOOTGRAMDOOTM. S. M. S. SwaminathanSwaminathan FoundationFoundation

Partial List of Some ICT4D projects in India Partial List of Some ICT4D projects in India ……

ICT for WomenICT for Women’’s s EmpowermentEmpowerment

Community RadioCommunity Radio-- DeccanDeccanDevelopment SocietyDevelopment SocietyCommunity RadioCommunity Radio-- KutchKutchMahilaMahila VikasVikas SangathanSangathan(KMVS): (KMVS): SisuSisu SamrakshakSamrakshak ICTICT--enabled Child health care enabled Child health care by UNICEF by UNICEF Change InitiativesChange Initiatives--NabannaNabanna-- Empowering Empowering women 94women 94SEWASEWA

Research Areas in ICT4DResearch Areas in ICT4D

with focus on Small Town and Rural Indiawith focus on Small Town and Rural India

Networking and Networking and Information ManagementInformation Management

What is the best, network architecture for What is the best, network architecture for delivering voice, video and datadelivering voice, video and data

Wireless, fiber or copper or combination?Wireless, fiber or copper or combination?Intermittent or always on connectivity?Intermittent or always on connectivity?Mobile or stationary?Mobile or stationary?Mesh Networks?Mesh Networks?

Information management systemsInformation management systemsWhat kind of informationWhat kind of informationFast access to information at low cost and over low Fast access to information at low cost and over low bandwidth connectivitybandwidth connectivity

User InterfacesUser Interfaces

Universal User Interface for multiple Universal User Interface for multiple languages and low literacy levelslanguages and low literacy levels

SpeechSpeechIconic user interfacesIconic user interfacesTaskTask--specific interfacesspecific interfacesUniversality possible?Universality possible?

Affordable DevicesAffordable Devices

Affordability of device and network Affordability of device and network connectivity extremely critical for ICT connectivity extremely critical for ICT penetrationpenetrationAre PCs, HandAre PCs, Hand--heldshelds the only kind of the only kind of affordable devices?affordable devices?OLPC (One Laptop per Child)?OLPC (One Laptop per Child)?

Health Care and EducationHealth Care and Education

Health CareHealth CareICT for affordable health care in rural areas ICT for affordable health care in rural areas and small townsand small towns

EducationEducationTraining (CADTraining (CAD--CAM etc.)CAM etc.)LearningLearning

Host of projects at Host of projects at KReSITKReSIT in ein e--educationeducation

PowerPower

Affordable and Reliable PowerAffordable and Reliable PowerSolar PowerSolar PowerLocally generated power with local distribution Locally generated power with local distribution as opposed to centralized distribution systemas opposed to centralized distribution systemLow power electronicsLow power electronics

Microfinance and eMicrofinance and e--CommerceCommerce

MicrofinanceMicrofinanceMicro CreditMicro CreditMicro TransactionsMicro TransactionsMicro PaymentMicro PaymentWhat kind of models will be applicableWhat kind of models will be applicable

ee--CommerceCommerceHow to exploit the ubiquitous cellular How to exploit the ubiquitous cellular technology for microfinance?technology for microfinance?

ee--GovernanceGovernancee.g. e.g. BhoomiBhoomi Project Project –– digitization of land digitization of land recordsrecords

ee--BankingBankingAlready available for urbanites with Already available for urbanites with reasonable incomesreasonable incomesHow can this be extended to low income How can this be extended to low income groups and rural areas groups and rural areas –– rural ATM is step rural ATM is step towards thistowards this

Business ModelsBusiness Models

New Business Models New Business Models for sustainable use of ICT in rural and small for sustainable use of ICT in rural and small town India, as well as urban Indiatown India, as well as urban Indiae.g. we have the lowest cell phone tariff in e.g. we have the lowest cell phone tariff in the world the world –– 2 cents per minute, based not on 2 cents per minute, based not on technology but clever business models which technology but clever business models which has very low OPEXhas very low OPEXGrameenGrameen Phone in BangladeshPhone in Bangladeshnn--LogueLogueee--choupalchoupal (ITC)(ITC)

Outsourcing to Rural Areas from Urban Areas

ServicesServices

ServicesServicesWhich are the services that will be of interest Which are the services that will be of interest to rural populationto rural population

Price of crops?Price of crops?Price of produce?Price of produce???????

Boils down to developing right Boils down to developing right content.content.

EntertainmentEntertainment

Affordable Entertainment thru ICTAffordable Entertainment thru ICTe.g. showing e.g. showing VCDsVCDs is very common in rural kiosksis very common in rural kiosksFinancially lucrativeFinancially lucrative

Issues of providing quality entertainment on Issues of providing quality entertainment on low bandwidth networklow bandwidth network

QuestionsQuestionsCommentsCommentsThoughtsThoughts……