Articles Rural Development through Information Technology
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| Rural Development through Information Technology |
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| Written by Dr. S.S. Chandel | |||
| Monday, 05 October 2009 09:49 | |||
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Rural Development through Information Technology : (A Case Study of Dhar District of Madhya Pradesh, India) The present study is an attempt to know how information technology is playing a significant role in the development of the rural society. It is a case study of gyandoot of Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. Information Kiosks/Gyandoot is based on a PCO model. It provides different kind of services to the rural masses to improve their quality of life. The services are concerned with their regyular routine such as agriculture, education, health. social relation, product marketing, administration, planning and current information needs. Kiosks managers are basically computer operators and works as a facilitator between information system and servcies rendered to rural people. In this system gram panchayat and zilla panchayat both the bodies play important role in the establishment of the kiosks. They are involved in the selection of Kiosks Manager and providing finance regarding the establishment of the kiosks.To fulfil the objectives of the study the views of kiosks managers and rural people and government officials were taken and analysed thereafter. The findings of the study are as under : The use of information technology in rural areas of Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh is definitely fruitful for the development of the rural society. Besides having several constraints from service providers, government officials, gyandoot samiti, rural people are availing required information like mandi rates (marketing of agricultural products), certificates (caste, domicile), complaints (government employees, village problem), gram haat, gram dak, land records (khasara, B1), marraige proposal, teevradoot tatkal bulayen (doctor, patwari etc.), sawaliram (education) and driving license. As far as transparency in administration is concerned, the role of information system is positive but beaurocrates are not playing their role in such manner as desired. The rural people are satisfied with some sort of servcies available with the centre like certificates, complaints and land records but have grievances for some services and persons involved the the information system. Suggestions The service providers are facing several problems like connectivity, electricity and other infrastructural facilities. The minimum infrastructural facilities should be available so that kiosks may be function smoothly. Kiosk managers must be sincerely to their job, modest, well trained, uptodate knowledge of computer and familiarity with the rural environment. The cooperation from administrators, beaurocrates should be there so that soochak may be able to do their job. There must be a system to monitor the servcies of system every six month involving low profile people rural masses. Conclusion The information technology is not a magic stick by which one may go to bring miracle change in the rural masses. It may be one of the essential institutional structure contributing to modernisation of agriculture, health, education, social and economic development. As we know development is a process which takes couple of years to change the rural life. Thus information technology will definitely be in a position to change the scenario of rural life and create a better path for rural development.
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