This agreement aims to enable the rural mass to submit their landline and mobile phone bills through common service centres or Tathya Mitra Kendras set up by Srei Sahaj e-Village Limited across 14 districts of the state under the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP). To avail the service, one would have to go to the nearest common service centres located in gram panchayat office or block office whichever happens to be within their reach.
Expecting that this agreement will benefit a large section of the rural populace, Mr S Roy, chief general manager of BSNL said: “Telephone bill payment have always been a problem for rural consumers. This initiative will hopefully solve this problem. Moreover, we are looking forward to strengthen Internet connectivity in villages. By September this year, we expect to provide broadband connections to 90 per cent of the village blocks.”
The current services being provided by common service centres include, governmental services like submission of forms, revenue payment and non-governmental services like payment of electricity bill, access to internet, fax, e-mail, railway ticket booking, examination results and computer training.
Mr MN Roy, principal secretary of panchayat and rural development department said: “West Bengal is far ahead of other states when it comes to the successful implementation of common service centres project. Through the common service centres, the rural mass could access various services at their doorstep at a nominal amount. Within a month after today's agreement, payment of telephone bills will be added to the project, making payment of bills easier for the rural consumers.”
Being a part of National e-Governance Plan, this project was announced by the Prime Minister on 15 August, 2005, with an objective to empower rural India through the latest technology of Internet connectivity.
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Quelle/Source: The Statesman, 11.06.2008
