Editor's desk

"All that is valuable in human society depends upon the opportunity for development accorded the individual." - Albert Einstein

Drishtee’s first challenge is to sensitize the rural communities for the very concept of Services and information delivery through the Drishtee Kiosks. Though there is a need but still there exists a considerable level of ignorance and reluctance amongst the rural people. Most of it is because of the lack of awareness and enough ground to really ‘open the doors’ to something new and innovative. Thus it is necessary for the successful implementation of ICTs to have sensitized the end-users as soon as the ICT Centers or Kiosks are established and also much before that.  

Drishtee has included the ‘Community Sensitization’ as the first step of the rural ICT implementations. This is done through participating in the scheduled official Gram Sabhas of the villages and by organizing local community meetings. These meetings – termed as Gram Sabhas in general by the Drishtee terminology – are organized with the consent of the Village Head i.e. Mukhiya or the Sarpanch.

A team of Drishtee represents in these meetings and talks about the concept of Drishtee to the rural groups – students, elderly, working people, farmers, etc. The revenue model, returns to the Kiosk Owner, to communities and to all the stakeholders are explained in the simplest manner so that the value of the ICT Centers can be promoted well.

Drishtee’s Kiosks are established and run by the village entrepreneur who should have the zeal for delivery of information and services in the rural segment. For selecting the most appropriate entrepreneur, Drishtee follows a selection methodology based on reach out capacity of the entrepreneur with the Drishtee concept – i.e. through the sale of Subscriptions for the Drishtee Soochnalaya.

Reach out through Gram Sabhas is a call for development and invitation to opportunity seekers that brings out the demand and service relationship on a common ground to take off for the best growth from there on. Drishtee is receiving a range of reactions and treatment at the level zero but the very idea of implementing ICTs (Information Communication Technologies) for that matter is just getting promoted with a forceful wave of conviction and belief which starts reflecting in the Kiosk owners and then the users very soon – and all this initiated through a meager looking but robust mechanism of – reaching out – through Gram Sabhas.

Unlimited Potential - Capacity Building Project

Drishtee Foundation's aim is to introduce the benefits of Information Communication Technology (ICT) to the millions of villagers in the remote villages of India.  The organization has aligned itself with ICT Soochnalayas (kiosks) across the country driven by local entrepreneurs on a franchise model. They render services which are multidimensional and in most of the cases lead to social and economic benefits to the rural community. Presently the efforts of Drishtee Foundation are focused towards the 800 centers established by the partner organization, Drishtee Dot Com Ltd.

Most of these kiosks are owned by male entrepreneurs. To encourage women's participation, Drishtee Foundation aims to empower women entrepreneurs by building their capacity to run ICT kiosks for earning a livelihood, and serving the village in general and women in particular.

Objectives of Drishtee Foundation

1. Community sensitization, capacity building (IT skills training,  entrepreneurship)
2. Initial handholding of women entrepreneurs to ensure smooth take off of business
3. Increased women participation - Out of a total of 800 kiosks on the Drishtee network, 125 kiosks are being operated by women entrepreneurs. Drishtee Foundation aims towards rise in this number to at least 475 by December 2006. With a projection of 1500-2000 kiosks by that time, it expects the percentage of women entrepreneurs to be in the range of 25%-33%
4. Vocational training courses for women at kiosks, concessional computer education for the girl child
5. Empowerment of Panchayats-Service agreement for various Panchayat services.
6. Capacity building -Kiosks as back office for Panchayats

Research suggests that women are more process oriented and better managers than men. So why are they being deprived of a chance to showcase their ability?  The idea of owning and operating an ICT kiosk in the vicinity of their home gives them more chance to participate as they do not have to travel long distances to reach their workplace. Not only will this trigger other women in the village to venture into such an initiative but also create among them a feeling of being self reliant and of taking decisions on their own.  The number of women who will come to the kiosk will also very likely increase if a kiosk will be operated by a woman.  The chances of the whole family reaping the benefits of ICT will be more as the women folk can now come to the ICT kiosk without apprehension given that they have a female kiosk operator for assistance.

Future expansion plans

After the initial year in which 350 women entrepreneurs will be targeted, a research team will analyze the pattern with respect to regional diversity, demographics etc. which contribute to increased or decreased women participation.  An increase of 400 women entrepreneurs is planned every year throughout India. i.e. 2000 in five years. More women oriented services like vocational learning will be introduced at the kiosk to make it a center for development of the village where women folk can add to their skills or learn them afresh.  

Drishteekon - Expanding its user base

There are varieties of English and Hindi magazines for people of every age and class in our country. But within these journals and articles, the biggest section of India, the rural India, is being ignored.

Drishteekon is one such magazine that tries to reach the most interior of rural India and provides them with information on various useful topics. The Goal of Drishteekon is to promote “Apki baat Sab ke Paas, Sabki baat Apke Paas,” that means “you can share your thoughts with everyone, and everyone can share their thoughts with you.” Drishtee Foundation along with the support of One World South Asia, promotes this monthly Hindi Magazine.

This magazine provides a platform to the villagers to enhance their knowledge and share their viewpoints with everyone. Drishteekon tries to cover all the important aspects that affect a Rural Indian’s life. From health, to development, to a place’s specialties, it also includes a special knowledgeable and interesting section for village children. It also features the local people who have contributed to the development of the society in one or another way.

To make a magazine expand its user base it is needed that the demand of the magazine is generated through extensive awareness campaigns amongst the perspective/potential readers. As of date five issues of the magazine have been issued and distributed through Kiosks operators of Sirsa, Madhubani, Fatehabad and Sitapur respectively. Efforts are being made to promote the interest of the corporate to contribute for the promotion of the magazine amongst the people living in the villages. Drishtee Foundation is identifying such companies that work with the rural sector. Using the penetration power of these companies in the Indian villages, Drishtee Foundation is trying promote and make available Drishteekon in every part of Rural India. Drishtee Foundation looks forward for Drishteekon as a source of knowledge, and an opening for every Indian villager to share their views and information.

Our EPK centers

E-Prashasan Kendra(EPK) is a single window captive point where all the citizens of a district can avail numerous government services under one roof within stipulated time frame. Drishtee’s vision is to be a part in rendering e-governance services to the rural India. The idea is to streamline the administrative processes and conserve resources at every district resulting in development and empowerment of citizens with efficient and responsive district administration.

The e-governance services offered at Block levels in various districts are needed to be extended to the grassroot level and make it available to the rural people. For this a front end is needed at the panchayat level, with a maintained backend. Drishtee advocates this concept and is readily meeting up the extension of EPKs at the panchayat level in various districts along with the partnership of M/s Cyber Infodev Pvt. Ltd.

The EPK is wholly managed and controlled by Cyber Infodev in close association with the District administration. Drishtee’s role becomes more important in the delivery of various EPK services to a larger rural base. These EPKs roll out all EPK services through Drishtee Kiosks network. EPKs also pay preferential attention to the cases/queries generated through the Drishtee Kiosks.

Drishtee offers various services both at EPK level and kiosk level. Some of them are -- Birth/Death Certificate, Ration Card, Learner's License, Income Certificate, Passport Verification and many other odd services. Drishtee has these EPKs at various districts of Assam, Chattisgarh, U.P. and Haryana.  The future plans include establishment of kendras in many more places and is having a discussion with the respective District Administrations. Some of the upcoming EPKs will be in the districts like, Bareilly (U.P.), Hoogly (W.B.), Muradabad & Meerut (U.P.), Kurukshetra (Haryana) and Madhubani (Bihar).