[Assam] [asom] Re: CIC operators

Rajib Das rajibdas at yahoo.com
Tue Aug 1 11:49:56 PDT 2006 

Maybe one way out is to take a page out of ITC's
eChoupal program which has both scaled and is
profitable. Privatize the CICs and enable those
managing the CICs to turn entrepreneurs.

There is a significant level of successful
experimentation around crops selling using these
technologies as enablers. There is also a significant
level of discussion in Indian consumer products
companies / organized retailers to crack the last mile
problem related to consumer products retailing in the
Indian rural environments.

Rajib

--- mc mahant <mikemahant at hotmail.com> wrote:


---------------------------------

I as PCG leader wrote to Reserve Bank of India's
Guwahati Chief  a few months ago (when they advertized
for opinions/ideas about how to make more massive
Indian Rupee pumping to enable great progress and
bring Happiness--it won't ever)--

That: RBI can pump some funds  to let CIC's perform a
few more years conditional  with redefined performance
targets to rejuvenate GOI's  big hopes of universal
e-governance and massive strides towards becoming an
advanced nation by2020

Beyond that submission we heard nothing.

Also look out in the next issue of the new NE Computer
News from Guwahati. Therein my article  details a
paradigm for continuation ofCIC's in a different
self-governing profit-generating mode(customers gain
too).

CIC employees should  fight for that kind of
meaningful new life. Assamnetters too can come forth
with better ideas,

mm

<<D. Save the following Organization and help it 
become a net earner in 6 months:

CIC  facing uncertainity  

The CIC project  was a special gift to North East from
the former Prime Minister of India   Sri Atal Bihari
Vaipaiji   during the year 2002 with a budget of
around Rs 400 crores. This project envisaged to set up
Communication Information Centre ( CIC) in all blocks
of NE equipping with Computers and satellite internet
broadband connectivity with  multi dimensional
activities towards a resurgent NE. But the sad part is
that this dream project is now facing uncertainty due
to improper handling from several corners. 

As per the project plan , CIC will be funded by Dept. 
Of Technology, Ministry of Communication & Information
Technology, Govt of India  for 5 year (upto 2007) and
then it would be handed over to the respective State
Govts for further continuation. But surprisingly even
after expiry of 3 & ½ years, no step has been seen for
further continuation of the project.   This   CIC
project was   launched in August 2002  with multi
dimensional  activities ;  To establish ICT backbone 
in rural area ,  to provide  web access and Internet
services for rural people,  easy access to market
information,   e-COMMERCE of local resources, to
provide e-governance services in rural area,
E-education, E-medicine, IT education, capacity
building, ICT support to SHG, NGOs, farmers, 
edutainment,  access to govt and socio-economic 
databases, entertainment, edutainment , E-employment
etc. Each CIC is provided with  1 Server, 5 clients, 
laser printer , DMP, CD writer, web cam, UPS, VSAT
internet broadband connectivity,  29” CTV with
satellite receiver  with two technical CIC operators.

The contribution of CIC during the last 3 & ½ years in
the rural area of North East is immense. It has
successfully working as ICT backbone in the entire NE
networking with all rural blocks hooking  with
national NICNET connectivity. Rural youths who earlier
never get any chance to access any  computer now able
to browse website, send email, download materials from
internet, making internet friends, online chats,
participating in global forum.  Rural small farmers 
are now getting market information,  downloading
applications, projects; Women SHG are now getting
resource materials from Internet,  rural unemployed
youths are gaining confidence.  CIC is taking lead
role in  knowledge revolution in rural area

As major acknowledgement of CIC,  this year 39 nos of
persons out of total 155 from the entire country  
comprising of  CIC operators , NGOs activist  working
in tandem with CIC have been conferred  fellowship of 
“ Jamsedji Tata National Virtual Academy for Rural
Prosperity 2006”  by  His Excellency President of
India for rural prosperity through knowledge
enrichment and  rural  knowledge revolution.

            But inspite of immense contribution of 
CIC with multi dimensional activities ,  several
corners seem to be unhappy and want  CIC’s premature
death.  

            a.      After investing  huge amount in
CIC project for development of ICT in rural area,  CIC
has become  a barometer for sanctioning of  further 
similar rural ICT project; an unsuccessful CIC will
create  national out-cry which will make IT sector for
rural masses  loser ; similarly a successful CIC will
make them gainer  which does not make a section happy.

             b.   Government of India  has already
drafted master plan under National e-governance Action
Plan involving enormous   budget  where CIC is a
strong  contender  as one of the  e-governance stalk
holders in NE. Moreover it has been demanded  that CIC
rural students should be involved in establishing
E-governance kiosk in villages   in  cluster approach
with CIC as  Block nodal centre. Also demand has been
raising  to involve these rural youths  in the on
going multi millions rupees  ICT projects viz. Village
Knowledge   Centre ( 6 Lakh unit in 6 Lakh villages of
India), Common Service  Centre  (1 lakh unit  ) which
are  to be completed within Dec 2007. This has made a 
section  anxious who have been eyeing  anxiously  on
the above fund.

               c.  As per recently implemented Right
for Information Act, all government information,
activities, expenditure statement should be made 
public and  CIC has become a natural choice to
maintain  transparency of block offices. This has
created a concern for a  section that have  so far
successfully  draining  public money from block
offices .

              d.  Till few days back, many  NGOs/
organizations/ Agency etc. have been successfully
receiving government money in the name of spreading of
Computer Education in rural area but Govt of India  is
now expressing reservation in sanctioning duplicate
projects due to existence of CIC infrastructure   who
is working well.    Also some private computer
educational Institutions who have  been  so far making
 money  charging  exorbitant fees  from rural gullible
youths  are facing closure. Now CIC has become a bet
noir .

e. CIC has succeeded to  produce a sizeable  data
entry operators in local languages and producing
quality result  i.e. the critical data entry works  of
Land records computerization in Unix/ Oracle/ Gist
based Indian script have been successfully implemented
 by CIC students in a few  districts of Assam within
record time. They have become a contender for data
entry works.  Surprisingly still data entry projects
rarely   allotted to  CIC. 

The  raw deals

1.                           The CIC Operators were
locally recruited for five years on temporary basis 
at a fixed salary of Rs 5500/-  on yearly contractual 
basis which is further extended by another year after 
expiry of the yearly  contact. They are not admissible
of any employee benefits viz. EL, maternity leave,
TA/DA etc.  Salaries  are deducted for their absence .


2.                           Under the  guidelines,
Central Govt has been continuously providing Annual
Maintenance Contact  for the equipments, salary for
operators, satellite Bandwidth etc.   And  State Govt
has to provide contingency expenditure viz. K.oil,
electricity, stationary, up-keeping  of the site,
security of the equipment etc. which  eventually did
not  materialize. All contingency expenditure have 
been met by the respective CIC from their own  revenue
earning.

3.                           For management purpose,
One District Level CIC Coordination Committee  headed
by Deputy Commissioner of the respective district and 
Block Level CIC Coordination Committee headed by  
Block Development fficer or Custodian of the
respective CIC have been constituted. Now efforts have
 been made to make CIC economically sustainable  which
 monthly  expenditure is around Rs 30,000/-   in
contrast to the average monthly income of around  Rs
3000/-  per CIC.  To   make CIC economically self
sustainable in rural area, Govt support  is most
needed.  It was  suggested that state governments
should utilize CIC infrastructure for  their block
level  government offices on royalty basis which is
yet to be materialized. In contrast, BDOs whose  
responsibility was entrusted  to mobilize local
government offices  are   seen  grossly mis-utilising 
CIC resources and manpower  engaging  in office typing
works without paying any royalty to CIC.

4.                           Though implementation of
E- governance in rural area  was  one of prime
objectives of CIC. But  no  efforts have been seen to
involve CIC in implementing  e- governance in rural
areas; instead   private parties  like DRISTEE, New
Delhi have  been  engaged in few districts.

5.                           Though a large nos of 
rural  educated unemployed youths have passed out from
CIC with computer education ( around 200-300 nos per
CIC)  during the last 3 & ½  years, but no  step has
been taken by govt  for  their employment or self
employment.  This has raised despair  amongst  rural 
youths  which affecting CIC.

6.                           In district govt domain,
CIC operators are the only technically qualified
persons  and CIC  is the only  ICT infrastructure in
blocks. Govt and public so far have extensively 
utilIsing  CIC.   But no effort has been made to boast
up the morale of  CIC Operators ( a major percentage
are young girls) who have been working in rural area
who have  been   demoralized since the day of their
joining  that  their services  will be only limited
for   5 years. This is causing deep anxiety amongst
operators and rural community. Now  State govt  should
request  Central Govt  for further  financial and
technical assistance to continue such a  technical 
and expensive ( Rs 19 crores as yearly recurring cost)
 project  like CIC  for the larger interest of the
nation.               D. Dutta

E: Create a Final list of planned but not fully
implemented, sick,tottering,dead projects lying in
Assam Govt ,NECouncil,Govt.of India, Banks, FIs’ file.
Like Flood Control, Bogibeel Bridge, Sugar Mills,
Paper Mills, Govt. Undertakings>>>





---------------------------------

From:  Dibya <dibyanlp at yahoo.com>
To:  assamonline at yahoogroups.com
Subject:  [asom] Re: CIC operators
Date:  Mon, 31 Jul 2006 22:48:15 -0700 (PDT)
>The best way will be to extend by another 5 years by
GOI.
>
>Since CSC project is on initial stage and too
difficult to predict it's sustainability, and many
other projects run by either state govt or NGO etc are
not shining at all, so for the best interest of CIC
for NE, it should be continued by another 5 years by
GOI. The technical input is the most crucials and GOI
is the only option who can keep technology going on. 
But the functioning style of CIC should eb changed. SO
far it looks like a institutions run by CIC operator
rather than a community centre.
>
>Steps should be taken to involve local community,
women SHG to utilise the resources of CIC. Then only
it would loook like a Community project.
>
>dibya
>
>Re:
>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/assamonline/message/2546
>moderator edited, assamonline
>
>
>
>
>
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
><*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
>     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/assamonline/
>
><*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
>     assamonline-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com
>
><*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
>     http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>
>

> _______________________________________________
> assam mailing list
> assam at assamnet.org
>
http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> 


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com

More information about the Assam mailing list