Social Innovation and Use of Technology For The Rural Betterment
Social Innovation and Use of Technology For The Rural Betterment
Social Innovation and Use of Technology For The Rural Betterment
Author Chenchu Nagulu Goli 3/65 Hamlin Road, Mount Wellington, Auckland 1060, New Zealand [email protected] Mob: +64 22 462 4858
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Abstract
The Indian Rural and Urban segments are playing a vital role in the world markets like telecommunication and the agriculture markets. It is because of their large portion in the indian population. The latest census results (2011) had given much more boost to the Rural and the Urban segment numbers [1]. Particularly the Urban segment. These segments are much back lashed than each-other comparatively from the city dwellers or the metro population. The reason behind the difference is non-other-than the adoption (availability) of new technology. Off-course the availability of the technology also plays a bigger role. As the government agencies plays a major role in the administration and proceedings for the public administration. This paper suggests the implementation of a new technology that will benefit the Rural and the Urban segments as well the county and the public administration domain in larger scale.
1. Introduction
These days we can hear a lot of music on our mobile phones, off-course we are playing it with a different sources like downloaded music albums, or FM Radio on mobile phone. In the last decade we can see the rise of FM stations throughout metro cities. Parallel to this we can see much advanced technology of Telecommunication development rapidly through out the entire subcontinent. Despite the growth in these areas (FM Radio and Telecommunication) the technologies were not utilized at it's full potential. As the Census of India 2011 released the results, it is showing an alarming results in the rural and urban segments. The Indian population was 1210.2 million. Out of this the rural population stands at this number 833.1 million and the urban population number stands at 377.1 million. The Rural population had increased by 90.47million and the urban population by 91.00 million [1]. When we look at these figures in a simplified way the percentage of rural population stands at 68.84% of the total population and the rest 31.16% (which is an increase of 3.35%) was the rural population. These numbers or showing an increasing number in the urban areas. It shows that, the rural population is trying to embrace a better life style or technologies.
Figure 1: The increment of the urban segment against the rural segment in 1951 compared to 2011. Source: Census of India 2011
We have to note that the rural population made themselves comfortable during the earlier green revolution in the 1970s and 1980s, which combined high-yielding seeds and new irrigation methods had helped the nation to be a self sufficient and put India in a position where it can export food supplies for the rest of the world from an heavy importer previously. We have to remember that, this achievement was done with the help of (AIR) All India Radio. The programs were designed for the benifit of the farmers with constant updation about the new irrigation methods/techniques, the weather forecast and the new pestsides to be used to prevent the loss of redused yelding. After all those success stories we still see the masses moving towards the urban areas in the
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current situation. It might be because the government agencies are noot catering their (rural population) needs and requirements to comeup in their life economically and socially. The consequence of this migration of rural population to the urban areas may cause a tremendous shortage of work force of the farmers. To over come this, the farmers may have to look for farm land work force at higher wages or adopt the new technologies. The current Indian Prime Minister in his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort in Delhi said I congratulate the country's farmers for their achievements this year. The production of food grain has been at a record level. Wheat, maize, pulses and oilseeds have all seen record levels of production [2]. This credit goes to the farmers and the farm land work force who made it happen for the nation. Now India became a food supplies exporter for the rest of the world from an importer. To make sure the growth to be continuous they need (administrative organisations of the local-level) to look after the rural population. The government agencies have to provide the needful for the rural population which can prevent them migrating to the urban areas. Whilst the government agencies have to provide the upcoming technologies and the trends for the rural population. The government agencies and the bodies should look in these areas, which can bring the migration down and keeps the cities with lesser slums and a balanced environment. The introduction of the mobile phones to the rural and urban population had brought a tremendous change in the nationwide utilization of the technology. To make use of this technology by the rural masses the government agencies should make them accessable at their knowledge level. These systems should be developed with the mental, psychological and behavioural nature of the rural population. These systems should look as a simsple as possible for the rural peopel to understand and to use.
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users in India with a percentage of 40 [6]. As the mobile tele-density / mobile phone subscribers are in constant rise in the rual and the urban segments we can think of the maximum utilisation of this technology, which can yield better rewards for the people living in these segments. Off-course it needs the integration of different bodies/regulators like, financial institutions, information technology service providers and government agencies.
Figure 2: Literacy rate in Rural segment. Source: Census 2011 Provisional Population Totals - India
4 Success Story
ITC company had initiated a project named e-Choupal. Which, places computers with Internet access in rural farming villages. These e-Choupals serve as a place of social gathering place for information exchange and e-commerce hub for the rural segment in the surrounding villages with in the radius of 5Kms [7].
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The main concept is to re-engineer the procurement process for soy, tobacco, wheat, shrimp and other crops in rural India. e-Choupal system had helped the framers to receive a lower prices as part of the investments and receive a higher yields. It helped farmers to increase the plantation of soy from 50% to 90% in some regions. Farmers got benefited in different ways like improving the soil quality, obtaining credit from the banks and insurance for the crop from the natural disasters. Currently the e-Choupal reaches more than a million farmers in nearly 11,000 villages through 2,000 e-Choupal centers in four states (Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh). The average usage is about 600 farmers per one e-Choupal system. The success of e-Choupals shows the intensity of adaptability and learning skills of the rural population and an effective use of the new technologies. It had proven the provided the technology the rural population is more adaptive and lament for the new technologies.
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Figure 3: The System that works with the Rural and Urban Population.
While developing this system the developers should not refer the existing systems which are in the market currently. The reason behind is nothing but, these systems are developed by educated and modernised human for the use of another modernised human. The system that intended to develop should be like a pictorial based. The end user should use this program / system without any hiccups or quitting form use in the middle. The developers should learn the mental skills of the Rural and the Urban population while developing this type of system. The developed ideas should be tested by the end-users at all stages in the design process from concept to end product.
6. References
[1] Census India 2011 http://www.censusindia.gov.in/
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[2] Prime Minister calls for another Green Revolution http://smetimes.tradeindia.com/smetimes/news/industry/2011/Aug/16/pm-calls-for-another-greenrevolution625858.html [3] Information Note to the Press (Press Release No. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) New Delhi, 8th August 2011 http://www.trai.gov.in 45 /2011)
[4] India Mobile Telecom Market May 2011 http://bonelessresearch.blogspot.com/2011/07/india-mobiletelecom-market-may-2011-up.html [5] Broadband usage in India. http://www.broadbandindia.com/internet/facts-about-indian-internet-beginning-of-revolution/ [6] Lower income setment usage of mobile phones http://www.communicationstoday.co.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4158&Itemid=147 [7] What Works Case Study on ITCs e-Choupal and Profitable Rural Transformation. http://pdf.wri.org/dd_echoupal.pdf [8] Internet Usage Statistics of India A 2010 Report http://www.goospoos.com/2011/01/india-internet-broadband-users-gender-age-statistics-2010/ [9] Internet and Broadband User Statistics India V/s World http://www.goospoos.com/2009/12/internet-and-broadband-user-statistics-india-vs-world/ [10] Mobile Internet Usage in India: Statistics, Facts & Opportunities http://www.goospoos.com/2011/05/mobile-internet-usage-in-india/
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