Drishtee Foundation has its ongoing projects in Assam, Chattisgarh, Bihar, Harayana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharastra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

ICT Segmentation of 2488 Panchayats of Assam for ICT Initiatives

While introducing ICTs in rural India, many challenges are encountered like Connectivity, Content, Capacity and above all Sustainability. A Research project work (through field survey) on "ICT Segmentation of Panchayats in Assam" was taken up by Drishtee Foundation for the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Department of IT (DIT), during April - August 2005, for studying the viability of setting-up of ICT based Common Services Centers (CSC) or ICT Kiosks in 2488 Gram Panchayats (GPs) of Assam.

The tool for Assessment was an innovative 'ICT Segmentation Model' developed by Drishtee Foundation that considers all key factors/variables on socio-economic and sustainability issues grouped under the heads,- (1) Rural Dynamics, (2) Rural Economics and (3) Rural Infrastructure.

The above project work needed a detail survey and analysis on all the 2488 nos. Gram Panchayats (GPs) in Assam for the purpose of segmenting the GPs into four broad segments like Unsustainable, Sustainable, Viable and Profitable, after a consideration of demand and revenue generation potential for ICT initiatives and also the viability of setting up of such Common Service Centres (CSCs) in the region, including equitable ICT growth in the rural areas to help bridge the Digital Divide.

The summary findings revealed that out of the 2468 GPs in 21 districts (out of total 2488 GPs) of Assam, there are 39 Unsustainable GPs (1.6%), 606 Sustainable GPs (24.6%), 1812 Viable GPs (73.4%) and only 11 Profitable GPs (0.4%). These segmented GPs were further analyzed on certain important factors (constraints) for the purpose of (a) to understand the effect of these factors on its sustainability/success, and (b) drawing attention of the Govt. on the limiting factors towards its sustainability. As a roadmap to establish CSCs in Assam, in the first phase, a suggestive list of GPs have been provided in the study report, which is based on certain important criteria of key factors.

Prospects of Info-Services in Indian Villages, using Telephone Media

Client Name: World Talk, a UK based social organization.

A survey project work was undertaken by Drishtee Foundation on a pilot scale in rural areas of three districts of India, during January-February 2005, to assess the Potentiality and Prospects of disseminating Information and Services to villagers through Telephone Media or using Voice Mail Box on various Government Schemes, Health Services, Agriculture activities, Rural Employment, Development Programmes, Classifieds, Employment etc.- the services (locally relevant and in local languages) that villagers need for their daily lives and if provided will help improve their living conditions and reduce their traveling cost and time to Govt. Offices for the same.

The broad objectives of the above study was to (1) assess the acceptability and potentiality of usage of such information and services among villagers to be provided through telephone/voice mail, (2) Identify those Information/Services that can be best provided via telephones to the villagers and is in demand for their daily life, and (3) Villagers' willingness to pay, as service charge, to avail such info-services. The survey methodology included administration of the set of Questionnaires (designed for the purpose) on target groups/sample respondents (as per sampling plan) along-with the use of Demo-voice services.

The districts selected for the study were Mallapuram in Kerala (south India), Madhubani in Bihar (east India), and Sirsa in Haryana (north India). The survey findings on 'World Talk Project' revealed that there is high potentiality for such new means of info-services in Indian villages as the rural people find it useful. Most of the respondents (around 95%) liked the process of getting information and were willing to pay, provided the relevant information is Correct, Complete, and Available on time. The infrastructure for providing such services was found available in villages. However, for its effective implementation depends more on the support from local administration & gram-panchayat; cost-effective pricing, information base creation and also an awareness drive for these ideas in the villages.

Delivering Rural E-Commerce & E-Health in Indian Villages, using Tablet PC

Client/ Partner: Microsoft Corporation (Technology Partner of Drishtee Foundation) took up this an aim to explore the usage of Tablet PC at village kiosk level for Rural e-Commerce and Rural e-Health initiatives in rural India, as-well-as to develop a sustainable and scalable business model for each application, i.e. a re-engineered Product Supply-Chain and Management process (connecting rural artisans and markets) that empowers rural artisans to earn better for their sustained livelihood, and for other part an on-line distance medical diagnosis and consultancy from reputed specialized hospitals/doctors to rural and poor people living in villages that brings effective health care at their door-steps at reduced cost and improve their well-being.

The districts covered for the above study purpose for both the applications were Madhubani (Bihar), Sonitpur (Assam) and Bareilly (UP) that are famous for its art-crafts like, Mithila Painting, Wood & Cane Crafts and Zari-Zardozi respectively; these districts have also the presence of rural ICT Kiosks (of Drishtee's) that serves the rural people as information and services provider.

The survey findings revealed a potential demand and acceptability of such ICT Applications among rural artisans and in general for rural community, their willingness to avail these services at reasonable charges, through their village information kiosks (an inter-mediatory in the chain), for their sustained livelihood and well being.

The project seeks to mark a paradigm shift by using the modern techniques of ICTs coupled with the usage of Tablet PC for rural e-commerce and e-health initiatives to bring in benefits to rural community as-well-as for socio-economic development in rural areas. As a result of this study, 'Drishtee' has developed an e-Commerce Portal 'Drishtee Haat' (http://www.drishteehaat.com), connecting rural artisans to customers through the portal and village kiosk, acting as an intermediary in the supply chain process.

Penetration of ICT in Rural India

Partner: Microsoft Incorporation

In the last 5 years 'Drishtee' has setup more than 1000 ICT Kiosks in remote villages of Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Orissa and Tamil Nadu, based on the need assessment and demand assessment research by Drishtee Foundation. These deployed kiosks have multi-dimensional impact on rural community because of its focus on sustainability, scalability and entrepreneurship.

This research on 'Penetration of ICTs in Rural India' by DF primarily aimed at understanding and assessing the Impact of deployed rural kiosks on the village communities and kiosk operators (the local entrepreneur) while also taking an account of its sustainability.

The research work was planned over a period of 2 years, covering 6 districts with 25 kiosks from each and based on detailed survey on target groups (kiosk operators and kiosk customers/villagers) by taking up 3 districts per quarter i.e each set of 3 districts covered for impact assessment after every six months. The Districts covered were Sonitpur, Golaghat, Lakhimpur (all 3 from Assam), Sirsa (Haryana), Bareilly (U.P.) and Madhubani (Bihar). The survey methodology included sampling plan, administering the questionnaire(s) designed for the target groups and to analyze the data collected towards the study objective. With the study in its last leg, this research project has not only provided the analysis on impact and insights on those kiosks and their customers for initiating preventive/corrective measures, where needed, but also has helped the implementing partner (Drishtee) on improving its kiosk-sustainability model, and thus benefiting villagers and kiosk operators (village entrepreneurs) on sustained livelihood.

Operation Chetna

(The Community Engagement and Promotions Project for Drishtee Kiosks)

Partner: Drishtee

This includes conducting Group Meetings and Family Meetings for all the Kiosks of Drishtee on an ongoing basis. Once Drishtee implements 40 kiosks in a particular District the task of direct Promotions to the rural target communities is taken up by the community mobilizers of Drishtee Foundation. The idea is to promote the concept of service-delivery through ICT and use of Drishtee Kiosks by the villagers so as to maximize on the availability of the opportunity and growth prospects through the Drishtee efforts. This also adds to the viability of the model.

Open Knowledge Network

Partner: One World South Asia

'Open Knowledge Network' (OKN) is an ICT based content management project, operated and managed by by Drishtee Foundation in collaboration with OWSA (One World South Asia), aims at setting-up and running OKN Content Management Hubs with Access Points (rural kiosks) deep in the villages of rural India to collect, edit and share local knowledge (contents) among local people in local language by networking among local knowledge workers; and disseminate OKN Content through electronic and print media in rural areas. Thus OKN enhances communication opportunities, using ICTs, for rural people at the grassroots level and facilitates social and economic empowerment of rural communities.

Implementation is being done at the Drishtee Kiosks in 3 districts, Madhubani (Bihar) and Sirsa & Fatehabad (Haryana). To achieve the content management channel through the Kiosks and also ensuring the sustainability of the whole effort, Drishtee Foundation took this up after a Need Assessment Survey exercise. This Survey was conducted by Drishtee Foundation to understand the relationship between people and Kiosk, Content/information that is required by the community, the sustainability options and the on effectiveness of above service in the target community. Next step was to effectively deploy the OKN Hubs at the district level - for content editing and management and the Access Points/ Kiosks at the village level. There were efforts taken to build the capacity of the participants of the channel so as to effectively manage the OKN Contents generation and dissemination, using ICT, on a sustainable basis. Later, Open eNRICH - an open source software tool was introduced to enhance productivity in local content generation and dissemination as-well-as facilitate ICT-enabled peer-to peer learning and grassroots advocacy in other parts of the country.

For wide dissemination of knowledge/contents among rural community, Drishtee Foundation has brought out a monthly magazine "Drishteekon" for knowledge sharing and creating awareness towards diverse issues related to health, development opportunities, education, women empowerment, ICTs and their beneficial uses. Soon an electronic media publication named "e-Zine" will be released to cater the need of NRI and Urban population on contents/information on rural areas, where they have their roots and like to understand more.

Need/Demand Assessment Survey for setting up e-Gov Centres and Rural ICT Kiosks in Districts

In an effort to leverage ICTs and provide citizens (urban and rural) the e-gov. services and other services/information that benefits them, Drishtee Foundation had carried out need assessment surveys in various districts to assess the viability of setting up of the following service centres:

• Single-window e-Gov. Centres (called E-Prashasan Kendra or EPKs) at District/Tehsil level to provide timely and hassle-free G2C Services to citizens, using ICT and customized application software.
• Rural ICT Kiosks (called 'Drishtee Soochnalaya') or Service Delivery Centres at the Panchayat/village level to provide both gov. and commercial services to rural community.

Partners: the District Administration Authority (for e-Gov. Centres) and other implementing Partner like IFC and Drishtee (for rural ICT Kiosks).

PROJECT LOCATION : Bhojpur, Ranchi and Deogarh ( Bihar & Jharkhand states), Sonitpur, Morigaon, Nalbari, Lakhimpur, Kamrup, Sivasagar, Golaghat, Nagaon, (Assam), Kapurthala (Punjab), Udaipur and Dangarpur (Rajasthan),

PROJECT DURATION : 30 Days in each district

PROGRESS TILL NOW : Survey completed and report submitted to district administrations.

ROAD AHEAD : The Survey report would be a key resource for decision makers at various levels. This serves as an initial phase of ICT implementation and acts as a catalyst for the process.

Baseline and Impact Assessment Survey on Rural ICT Kiosks

Partners: Drishtee and IFC

Baseline Surveys followed by Impact Assessment Surveys on Rural ICT Kiosks were also carried out by Drishtee Foundation at gram-panchayat level in various districts.

The baseline survey primarily aimed at identifying the suitable parameters and assessing the kiosks in terms of its acceptability, kiosk-services demand, kiosk performance and problems related to kiosk business and services promotions against the back-drop of the socio-economic characteristics of their GPs and community needs. Impact Assessment surveys were carried out on the same GPs and their kiosks, after a gap of around 6 months, to understand and assess the impact of deployed rural kiosks on villagers and how well it met their expectation as-well-as on kiosk's sustainability issues; apart from gauging the footfall at kiosks, customers satisfaction level, problems/issues on services/support and their expansion plan.

Village Computing Project - Village Information Service Provider (VISP)

Client: Grameen Foundation US, Activists for Social Alternatives (ASA)

Implementing Partner: Drishtee

Objective: To pilot a revenue-sustainable ICT model

The role of Drishtee and DF was towards Project Consulting, Software Support and Knowledge Transfer.

TARGET GROUPS : Micro credit Self Help Group beneficiaries, mostly women

LOCATION : Trichy ( Tamil Nadu ) in India

DURATION : 3 years

PROGRESS TILL NOW : 20 ICT centers operational

Role of ICT in agriculture

PROJECT OBJECTIVE : To pilot ICT model centers disseminating agriculture-related content

TARGET GROUPS : Farmers and small traders

PROJECT LOCATION : North Indian state of Uttaranchal in India

PARTNERS : Indian Agribusiness Society and Uttaranchal Diversified Agriculture Support Project (World Bank funded)

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES : Project Consulting, Capacity Building, Promotion of ICT activities in villages

PROJECT DURATION : 1 year

PROGRESS TILL NOW : 1 ICT center has become operational at Kotabagh (Nainital) in India

Using ICT as a tool for Promotions

O&M and Amaraja Batteries' Kiosk set up and market outreach project

To set up 150 Kiosks in northern states of India like Rajasthan, UP, Haryana and to use the channel for enhancing the rural communication outreach

Implementation Partner: Drishtee

Role of Drishtee Foundation: to create awareness amongst the user communities and to facilitate the project implementation and management

Started in July 2005 and is running

Training and Implementing Women Entrepreneur Owned ICT Centers (300 in numbers) in various parts of the country

PROJECT OBJECTIVE: To promote women entrepreneurship in the rural areas and build the capacity of the identified prospects to set up ICT Centers or other ICT enterprises based on the Training Programs developed by Unlimited Potential initiative of Microsoft.

TARGET GROUPS: Rural Women

PROJECT LOCATION: Various districts in India

ICT Center Set Up Pilot in West Bengal

Project Partners: West Bengal Govt., Microsoft, Drishtee

Implementation of Kiosks at minimum 5 locations in the state following the complete process of the set up and bring out necessary learnings for the partners for a focused road map ahead.