PATNA: The Chandragupt Institute of Management Patna (CIMP) has developed a new model for ensuring overall development of rural Bihar using information technology tools. It is also planning to set up rural knowledge centres (RKC) in different parts of the state for the benefit of the rural people.Â
The model developed by CIMP faculty member Kalyan Prasad Agrawal highlights how WiMAX technologies can be harnessed with solar powered, fully loaded informational cyber-kiosks coupled with cloud technology in rural setup with extended economic opportunity, improved nutrition and healthcare, healthy environments, education and other components of a rewarding and sustainable livelihood of the poor.
The model also proposes a feasible architecture for implementation of cyber-kiosks in rural areas using latest computing technologies on WiMAX platform with cloud skeleton. It also proposes the development of RKC equipped with different e-service delivery points serving multiple users simultaneously, a highly demanded shared resource computing architecture for rural area fit for a wide array of applications in education, communication, agriculture services, e-Governance, entertainment, community/religion along with professional services.
The model will be first implemented at Daharhar Jamunia village in urnia district in July this year. The CIMP has adopted this village and is committed to transform it as a model e-village. The BSNL has been working to lay optical fibre cables to provide high speed Internet connectivity to villages.
As per the planning, it would be extended to 20 more villages in second hase and about 100 more villages would be connected thereafter. The hardware setup is almost ready and further cost cutting options are also being evaluated. A team led by CIMP director V Mukunda Das has already visited the village and studied about the feasibility and sustainability of the project.
Agrawal has been invited to present the details of this model at the Inernational Conference on Computer and Business Management (ICCBM) being organized by the International Association of Computer Science and Information Technology (IACSIT) at Bangkok in July.
The model envisages that several youth clubs would be developed in villages having members within the age group of 18 to 35 years. The educated members may be trained about the benefits of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and they may act as the bridge between the digital divide and digital unite . They may conduct different street plays at the villages to create IT awareness among the villagers.
The RKC would also help the government in computerizing its bureaucracy and facilitate the people in filling out forms, applying for licenses and birth certificates, filing petitions and grievances, printing land records, and so on. Wide connectivity would facilitate implementation of various schemes launched by the state and Central governments for farmers and rural development like crop insurance, employment opportunities for women and youth in rural areas and procedures for securing bank loan.