E-KRISHI VIPANAN (EKVI)
E-KRISHI VIPANAN (EKVI)
From HTN
| Project Information | |
|---|---|
| Category | Agriculture and food security |
| Year | 2005 |
| Type | Online Information Forum |
| Operational Areas | Urban, Rural |
| Technology | Dialup, DSL, IDSN, Cable, WiMax, Satellite, GSM Wireless LAN |
| Organisation | Government of Madhya Pradesh |
Contents |
Introduction
e-KRISHI VIPANAN (EKVI) is the e-Agriculture Marketing project, which is conceived and executed by the Government of Madhya Pradesh. The project has been designed for the benefit of farmers, traders, Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Marketing Board and Madhya Pradesh Agency for Promotion of Information Technology (MAP_IT). It is built, own and operate on the model of public- private participation. The real time collection and dissemination of information online makes the operation effective and transparent. It helps the concerned stake holders in quick and appropriate decision making. It is working towards attaining the goal of grain less mandis. In addition to mandi transactions, the system also looks after the other mandi activities, viz., financial accounting, payroll and establishment, engineering, MIS at all levels, elections in the mandis and naka operations.
Objective
EKVI project has been conceptualized for the benefit of farmers, traders and the government. The main objectives and goals of the project are:
- To revolutionize and professionally manage the agriculture trading business of State Agriculture Marketing Board of Madhya Pradesh, by installing cost effective digital infrastructure using latest advancement in Information and Communication Technology.
- To collect and deliver real time information online, thus maintaining total transparency and making the operation more effective.
- To provide accurate and timely information of present and future market rates of the agricultural produces thus benefiting all stake holders(farmers, traders and the government) and empowering them to make correct decision.
- To develop the infrastructure that will eventually led to grain less Agricultural Markets (Mandis).
- To obviate the need for movement of Agriculture produce from farmer’s premises to the Mandis.
- To induce competitiveness in the field of Indian agriculture through market-led IT based model.
- To enable the farmers to produce more thus leading to higher rural income.
The operation is also capable of creating and meeting vibrant future market requirements and facilitates farmers risk management.
Technology Description
The EKVI system follows the distributed computing model, wherein the data are captured and stored locally. The EKVI software is developed in Hindi with an option of English. It is smart card and web-enabled for text and graphics browsers with utmost security and back-up measures. The Hindi version runs in the Window environment. The software can be upgraded, is compatible to present and future hardware, user friendly with security measures complimented with firewalls etc. The software is developed in Visual Basic and is SQL server based. The software for smart card is developed in CARDOS. VSAT is used for connectivity for receiving and transferring of data, reports and any other information from the mandi with a leased line back-up. The sub-market yards communication is transferred either through the LAN, leased line or VSAT. This project is also capable for disaster management. The project has a backup with an independent server located near Delhi.
Strategy Adopted
EKVI is a fast track project that requires public resources and best technical support. In order to use public resource judiciously and to get the best technical support in the changing technical scenario, the project has been rolled out by the vendor on a Build, Own and Operate (BOO) basis. The Madhya Pradesh Agency for Promotion of Information Technology (MAP_IT), which conducted the study for the project, was retained as consultant to the project to give continuity to the ideas developed during the study. On recommendation by the MAP_IT, the Mandi Board accepted to execute the project on a BOO basis. Executing the project on a BOO basis meant that only the intellectual property rights of the software, would be with the Madhya Pradesh State Agricultural Marketing Board (Mandi Board). All the other activities from hardware deployment, networking, maintenance and up gradation of hardware and software, disaster management, manpower for running the system, generation and analysis of reports, outsourcing the service, etc, would be the responsibility of the vendor. The user charge for the vendor from the project is in terms of a certain percentage of the mandi fees collected, and is sufficient for the viability and sustainability of the project. Star International Ltd, New Delhi, Zoom Developers, Mumbai and iSmart International, Mumbai are the vendors for the project.
Contribution of ICT Technology
ICT has contributed immensely for the successful running of the EKVI project. It can be deployed effectively even in villages for the benefit of stakeholders. The contributions made by the ICT are:
- With the help of software, mandi arrivals, rates, sales, fee payable by traders, reconciliation of accounts, transit permits etc. can be instantly calculated.
- Information super-highway established with VSAT connectivity among various levels, located even in remote places, helps in smooth flow of information.
- State of art client server architecture.
- Smart card interface for online capture of information.
- Knowledge enrichment on agriculture and agricultural marketing through video-broadcast.
- Video conferencing facility between Mandi Board HO and all the regional offices.
- Net meeting facility with all the mandis with web cams.
- Capability to have e-kiosks, anywhere and everywhere, being capable of integrating the private initiatives like that of large traders like ITC and to eventually have ‘grain less mandis’ enabling the farmers to sell his produce at his door steps, obviating the need to move his produce to the mandis, yet retaining the government supervision.
- The data regarding the arrivals and rates of all the produce in various mandis are made available in the website on the same day and could be access through internet.
The ICT system deployed for the successful running of EKVI project has contributed a lot in attaining the objectives and goals targeted. It has brought the following advantages:
- The whole operation has become efficient and transparent.
- The information and the reports that are required by the farmers, traders and the mandi officials are available online. Certain other essential information is available in the website which the public could easily access.
- The delay in the operation in mandis has reduced considerably.
- The information of the current mandi rates has empowered the farmers and the possibility of traders forming a union and harassing the farmers has reduced considerably.
- The chances of corruption in the system have reduced remarkably as the reports are instantly made available at all levels.
- Trainings could be imparted to the farmers on farming methods through video streaming facility with interactivity to all the mandis. It could also used as ‘Agro Clinic’ when required.
- The video facility could also be used to broadcast or display advertisement which can act as an additional revenue generation to increase the sustainability of the project.
- During natural calamity, this VSAT based communication system spread over the whole state and provide a substitute to the land based communication systems for the other to use.
The Agricultural Marketing Board has started functioning as a unified organization with independent mandis.
Rewards and recognition
- Golden icon award for outstanding Performance in Service Delivery, from Government of India (2005).
- Plaque of honor for being one of the six finalists of Development Gateway (2005).
- CSI-Nihilant e-Governance award 2004 for Best e-Governance Project
- The paper on case study of EKVI was selected for presentation in:
i)e-Challenges conference, Europe in 2005
ii)e-Governance India conference in 2005 and 2007.
Implementation
The project can be easily replicated and implemented in all states including the educationally and economically backward states. Since the project is based on BOO method, no initial expenditure is needed to be made by the exchequer. The implementation of the project has to be carefully monitored and guided by professionally qualified and committed independent consultants. The consultants had to act as facilitators amongst the Private Party involved and the Government Agency that is replicating the project. This is an ideal model and can be successfully replicated and implemented in any Asian, EU and African States for empowering the farmers and small traders.
Summary
The use of ICT has automated the Mandi Board Head Office, 7 Regional Offices and 231 mandis and their associated sub-market yards and interstate barriers (nakas). Most of the mandis and sub-mandis are located in villages having 6 million farmers with 70,000 licensed traders. Normal annual arrivals are approximately 12.5 million tons valued at US$3.5 billion.
External Links
Last Updated : Anilkroy 12:22, 11 June 2009 (UTC)