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The aim of e-governance ventures is to move from an exclusive to an inclusive economyan economy where everyone has equal opportunities and no one is left behind. Today, the government is a major growth vertical and is projected to be the only vertical which is expected to grow continuously in the future. AMDs foray into e-governance has not been isolated, but has been hand-in-hand with that of the government.

As Educationists
The company follows a step-by-step approach in its interaction with the government. The first step is the identification of data or information. The second involves converting this data into meaningful information, which is ideally followed by a brainstorming session. This is vital as all state governments have different perspectives on how projects should be implemented and followed up. The final step involves the execution of action plans. We dont just wash our hands off a project after its execution, says Arvind Chandrasekhar, general manager, business development, AMD. We are involved from its implementation to its follow-up.

Under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, GoI aims to provide free elementary school education to all children in the zero to fourteen year-old age group. Until now, literacy in India has been equated with being able to sign your own name. Bridging the gap between literacy and a wholesome education is what AMD has been striving for through its involvement in the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, says Chandrasekhar.

AMD has been working with education departments of different states. Teaching in most schools across India is in the regional language, and students move year-after-year to the next class without difficulty. However, in class ten, the failure and dropout rate shoot up drastically, as students are compelled to give their board exams in either Hindi or English language. This is where the government and AMD have been moving in to help fill the gap. Computer based tutorials for children from class six onwards, which AMD has been working on, will considerably help improve the situation.

The difficulty, however, is that both the company and the government face is not the provision of computer labs in the country, but the severe shortage of skilled manpower to help set up, run and manage the labs. Moreover, there is lack of a workforce to help teach and educate the students on the computers in such a way that the diverse needs of different students are addressed. Apart from helping out in the physical infrastructure, AMD has been involved with the government in helping analyze the needs of the program. AMD has worked along with its partners in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat to name a few in the implementation of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan program.

Our engagement with the government is long-term in nature Arvind Chandrasekhar, general manager, business development, AMD

A Farmers Friend
What is needed, are small changes that can impact a large number of people, says Chandrasekhar. Projects like digitalization of passports, require huge investments, but wont affect more than half a million people. Agmarknet, on the other hand, which involves relatively less investment, has the capacity to change the lives of most of Indias rural, agriculture dependent population.

Agmarknet is an initiative of the Indian government where the entire agricultural market goes online. Previously, when a farmer brought his produce to the market, he would be forced to sell at the prevailing prices. With Agmarknet, a farmer can get to know about price fluctuations, the prices at the different mandis, the demand and supply scenario, etc. AMD has been involved multi-fold in the project, primarily in Haryana, where the company has been involved in every stagefrom connecting the computers to putting the mandis online. The companys rural e-gov project in West Bengal is another case where a small change has had an impact on a large number of people.

Alls Fair
AMD, urges government buying agencies to usher in a competitive environment during their procurement. This helps the government in two waysprocuring latest technology and ensuring that these technologies are procured at competitive prices. Fair and open competition in government procurement around the world is good business and good public policy initiative. This problem is more complex in India, as around 80% of tenders do not benefit from the advantages of fair and open competition. AMD has been fairly successful in this regard and has seen its efforts translating into results. In India, the state government of Karnataka was the first to come forward and make the bold move of allowing competition to be free and open. Several state governments like Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal have followed too.

Other Ventures
Another e-governance undertaking that AMD has been involved in is in the provision of governments State Data Centers (SDCs), which forms part of the core infrastructure for the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP).

Our engagement with the government is long-term in nature, says Chandrasekhar. Citizen augmentation is what the government is aspiring towards currently, with self-governance being the ultimate aim. We aim to supplement government endeavors in achieving this, he concludes.

Vandana Sebastian
vandanase@cybermedia.co.in

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