Microsoft India today announced a new rural initiative, and is planning to set up 50,000 IT kiosks in the next three years for providing a wide range of information and services related to health, education, communication and agriculture in villages. "We will set up 50,000 kiosks across India over the next three years. This is a great start, but our larger aim is to reach more than 50% of the rural population within three years," Ranjivjit Singh, group director (consumer business) of Microsoft India, said today. The initiative, named "Saksham" (self-reliant), would provide local entrepreneurs a chance to set up and manage kiosks on a self-sustaining basis for providing content and services to the rural populace. Microsoft has tied up with three non-government agencies - Drishti, Jaikisan and N-Logue - to roll out the kiosks, and is also in talks with lending institutions like SBI to provide funding to local entrepreneurs, Neelam Dhawan, MD of Microsoft India, said. Microsoft is also developing a rural portal powered with content and applications for the rural areas by working with regional and local software vendors. |