The Hindu Business Line : 6,000 rural e-Seva kiosks to be run by self-help groups

FOLLOWING the success of e-Seva centres in the urban and semi-urban areas of the State, the Andhra Pradesh Government has planned to set up around 6,000 rural e-Seva centres in the form of touch-screen kiosks within the next six months, according to the State Principal Secretary, Information Technology, Dr J.C. Mohanty.

Addressing the media on the eve of announcing the strategic tie-up of Western Union Financial Services, a global leader in money transfer services, and one of its primary agents, Paul Merchants, with e-Seva here on Wednesday, Dr Mohanty said the Government wants to set up four to five rural e-Seva centres in each mandal of the State.

The primary objective of the tie-up with e-Seva is to provide inbound money transfer services across the State wherein the citizens would be able to receive money sent from abroad through Western Union with utmost convenience and fastest service, the Western Union South Asia Regional Marketing Manager, Mr Srinivas Kasturi, said.

In terms of the agreement entered into with e-Seva, Western Union would offer its money transfer services initially from 36 e-Seva centres in the twin cities. All the other locations would be activated across the State in the second phase, according to Mr Rajneesh, Director of Paul Merchants.

"Andhra Pradesh is a key market for Western Union. The State has a huge section of NRIs who need a convenient way to send money to their near and dear ones in the country. We expect that e-Seva centres with their reach in the State would help more people to avail themselves of Western Union's quick, convenient and secure money transfer services," Mr Kasturi said.

According to Dr Mohanty, most of these rural e-Seva centres would be run by the self help groups (SHGs) and rural entrepreneurs. He advised Western Union to consider extending its money transfer services to rural public in the State through all the rural e-Seva centres.

The e-Seva Director, Mr Praveen Prakash, told presspersons that the Government planned to cover at least 30 lakh families through the e-Seva project taking up at an outlay of Rs 120 crore.

He said that the Government is constantly negotiating with various business organisations and utility services for offering their services through e-Seva centres. Negotiations with the Life Insurance Corporation of India are at an advanced stage for offering the premium payment services through e-Seva centres.

More Stories on : E-Governance | Rural Development | Andhra Pradesh

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6,000 rural e-Seva kiosks to be run by self-help groups