Sustainable%20Access%20in%20Rural%20India%20%20(SARI)

1
Sustainable Access in Rural India (SARI)

• Media Lab Asia
• MIT Media Lab
• IIT Madras
• Center for International Development, Harvard
  University
• I-Gyan Foundation
• ICICI

2
Project Goals

• Demonstrate that demand exists in rural villages
  for ICTs and that internet is economically
  self-sustainable
• Develop appropriate technologies and applications
  to cater to rural demand
• Build up thriving base of internet kiosks
• Measure and advance socio-economic development

3
Key Principles

• Establish business models for financially viable
  and self-sustaining internet kiosks
• Connect poor rural villages and ensure
  non-discriminatory access for all
• Improve health and learning
• Promote local/regional communication and
  information flows
• Evaluate the impact on social and economic
  development
• Encourage local entrepreneurship
• Cooperate with residents and existing
  organizations

4
Project Scope

• Cover all the villages and small towns in Madurai
  District
• Madurai city not included
• Pilot project undertaken in the Taluk of Melur
  covering the two Panchayat Unions of Melur and
  Kottampatti

5
Internet Kiosks Deployed
6
Village Size

• For villages where census data is available
• Min 1202 people
• Max 6776 people
• Average 4066 people

7
Socio-Economic Research Results

• SHGs have an overall penetration of 25
• Enrollment in school is highest in the 6-10 age
  group
• Radio, TV, bicycles penetration is nearly 40
• Two wheelers penetration is around 12
• 90 are living in their own homes
• Plant disease remains a serious problem
• Monthly expenditure on cable is Rs. 56,
  Electricity is Rs.71/-
• 59 watch TV, 47 listen to the radio, 37 read
  papers
• Only 32 use the phone spending Rs. 44 per month
• Around 40 spend Rs. 7 per family per month for
  mail

8
Revenue Models

• Capital costs
• wiring, furniture Rs 15,000
• kiosk equipment 50,000
• other 15,000
• Recurrent costs (monthly)
• rent, electricity, maintenance 1,316
• Internet 700
• Interest and depreciation 1,600
  
• Break-even revenue 3,500 (per month) 120
  (per day) if equipment costs double 170
  (per day)

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Current Revenues

• Today all but one village kiosk reports over Rs
  100 per day income (roughly breaking even)
• Under reporting is major issue

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Major Income-producing Applications

• Training (Windows, Office)
• Cybercafe applications (e-mail, surfing)
• E-government services (caste, income, birth death
  certification, pension schemes)
• Entertainment applications (Tamil movies,
  astrology, video games)

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Major Income-producing Applications

• Training (Windows, Office)
• Cybercafe applications (e-mail, surfing)
• E-government services (caste, income, birth death
  certification, pension schemes )
• Entertainment applications (Tamil movies,
  astrology, video games)
• VoIP

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Future Targets

• Months New Kiosks Timeline
• January 5 done
• February 10 66 days
• March 10 30 days
• April 20 30 days
• May 20 30 days
• June 20 30 days
• July 20 30 days
• August 20 30 days
• September 20 30 days
• October 20 30 days
• November 20 30 days
• December 20 30 days
• TOTAL 205