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Government To Spend Rs. 5400 Crore On Connecting Quarter Million Panchayats In Three Years

By Nikhil Pahwa - Tue 22 Jan 2008 03:25 AM PST

Can’t help but be cynical about connectivity and e-governance given the Indian governments forgettable track record, but anyway: The government intends to computerize nearly 250,000 Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), for around Rs. 5,400 crore over the next three years, as a part of the National e-Governnance Plan (NeGP). The amount will be used for computers and connectivity for two thirds of the Panchayats, while the remaining are expected to have the infrastructure via initiatives of the state government. An Expert Committee on Information Technology for Panchayati Raj submitted recommendations on hardware, system and application software, open standards, connectivity, and the creation of national panchayati portals (NPPs). A rather verbose announcements, which focused more on benefits, rather than deployment, here. In a way, this also explains the number of companies developing thin clients.

Posted in: Broadband, Rural

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2 Responses:

From Srinath Tue 22 Jan 2008 06:27 AM

I’ve talked to one of the guys at IL&FS;the execution agency for the NeGAP (National eGovernance Action Plan) almost 3 years ago regarding this project.

I’m intimately familiar with this space.. as we’ve tried to build this type of B2C network 4-5 years ago. I think as a concept it’s fantastic.

But I’m certain that’s another Rs 5400 crores down the drain, as no body knows there how to execute a project that 1/100th this size.

From Nilesh Mishra Thu 24 Jan 2008 01:40 AM

It would drain when it would be expended. Loads of initiatives like this have sprung since the evolution of the India but none knows if ever the complete amount declared is ever used in the effort or even part of it. And yes could possibly drain if ever the amount is expended but without being cautious.