New Delhi, Feb 18: The Centre has proposed a scheme for e-governance in Panchayati Raj Institutions to extend the benefits of information and communication technology to all sections of the rural population of the country, Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
In a written reply to a question in the Lower House, Union Minister for Panchayati Raj Mani Shankar Aiyar said, "In the proposed scheme, all villages and block panchayats are to be provided with information and communication technology infrastructure (computer, printer, UPS and web camera) and broadband connectivity."
Appropriate software applications will also be deployed so as to enable Panchayats meet the service needs of various stakeholders such as people, states, union territories and the Central government, he added.
For the complete roll-out of the project, a time-line of three years has been proposed, Aiyar informed.
He was asked whether the government proposed to set up "knowledge-kiosks" in Panchayats for extending the benefits of information and communication technology to the rural people,
especially women and poor.
A National Programme Committee (NPC) under the chairmanship of secretary of the Panchayati Raj Ministry has been set up which is responsible for setting the mission and vision of the project among various other things, Aiyar said.
Bureau Report
