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The Universal Services Obligation fund has launched a new scheme to empower women in rural areas through telecom services. Called ‘Sanchar Shakti', the project includes self-help groups (SHG), mobile service providers, handset and modem manufacturers, value-added service providers, Nabard, the Ministry of Rural Development and non-government organisations (NGOs).
The scheme includes four categories of projects aimed at rural women's SHGs – provision of subsidised mobile VAS subscription to SHGs with a service validity of at least one year, setting up of SHG run mobile repair centres in rural areas, setting up of SHG run modem repair centres in rural areas and setting up of SHG run solar based mobile charging centres in rural areas. Under the mobile VAS project category, seven pilot projects will be initiated in the different parts of India.
The projects are aimed at the facilitating women SHGs' access to ICT-enabled services and creation of employment opportunities in the area of ICT enabling services. About 15,000 SHG members are expected to benefit from these initial mobile VAS pilot projects. Tata Teleservices, Sasken Communication, Reuters Market Light, Unitech Wireless, Videocon Telecommunications and Vodafone Essar have taken up projects in seven States. The project was launched on Monday by the President, Ms Pratibha Patil.
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