Maharashtra State Farmers to get WLL Connectivity

Farmers in Maharashtra are all set to become part of an ambitious project involving Wireless in Local Loop (WLL). An integrated project to provide information to farmers through Internet and video-conferencing would be inaugurated by state chief minister Sushilkumar Shinde by video-conferencing with farmers this week. The Swaminathan Committee report is also expected to be tabled before the minister then.

According to the officials at the State Agricultural Department, the WLL project, which is currently running at two pilot locations in Baramati and Pabal, is part of the proposed `Virtual University for Agrarian Prosperity’ - an Internet based tool to provide proactive advice to farmers. This advice would reach the farmers through a reorganized state Land Use Board situated at the headquarters of such a university. This is the first ambitious project of its kind to be attempted in the country.

Dr. MS Swaminathan, one of the architects of India’s green revolution in the sixties, in his report mentions that a reorganized State Land Use Board supported by a consortium of technical agencies could serve as a virtual university in each state using a hub and spokes model. As probable sub-centers of such a virtual university, two locations have been identified at Baramati and Pabal. Chennai-based n-Logie Communications Pvt Ltd is developing the WLL infrastructure with one main WLL center to be raised on each location. 

Internet facility would be provided to surrounding villages within a radius of 25 kms through WLL. This facility would be utilized to access the global agricultural and marketing information for the farmers. Digital, technical and marketing information with database would be available with the State agriculture department as well as private organizations. This information and other various websites would be accessed daily from the village kiosk. This center would also undertake training of farmers by off-line use of interactive technical CDs, power point presentations, VCDs, etc. The department would supply this training material. 

The Krishi Vigyan Mandal formed in each village would interact with the scientists and experts of different research institutes by net meeting or video conferencing. The cost of the hardware for one center would come up to Rs 52,700, containing a computer, multimedia kit, wall set, printer and an Internet account. The department would be offering a 50 percent subsidy to raise these centers. Farmers can then browse agricultural related web sites, download agricultural technology and gain access to meteorological information as well as disaster management. In addition, farmers can also gain access to information on the global as well as the domestic market, various government schemes and facilities and e-commerce in agriculture.

For the village youth, this could mean an employment opportunity since the kiosk centers would be self-sustained, generating income through marginal charges from farmers on printing of land and revenue records like 7/12 extracts, email and Internet browsing, computer training and pest and disease diagnostic services. Such kiosk centers are fully operations in Tamil Nadu where the kiosk owners are earning income in the range of Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000 per month. State department officials maintained that the National Research Center for Onion and Garlic at Rajgurunagar in Maharashtra would provide the technical support for these kiosks for Shirur and Khed. Two more such hubs are slated to come up at Nashik and Warna, officials said. It is proposed that for each agricultural university in Maharashtra through Agricultural Technology Information Centers (ATIC), such Virtual University for Agrarian Prosperity could be established with coordination amongst universities being entrusted to Maharashtra Council of Agricultural Education and Research
(MCAER).

(CNS)