LIRNEasia has come up with startling evidence on how transaction costs in agriculture could be reduced by simple mobile phone applications. The organization’s Lead Economist, Dr. Harsha de Silva called for a multi-stakeholder action plan to implement a series of actions that would help poor farmers as well as consumers by reducing information costs in agricultural markets and value chains. He was speaking at a panel following a public lecture by Indian Institute of Management Professor, Subhash C. Bhatnagar, who spoke on the benefits of ICT applications to farmers, taking India as an example.
eChoupal model, an initiative by Indian Tobacco Company, said Prof. Bhatnagar, is a good case study how ICTs can reduce transaction costs for the farmers. Electronic market places or Internet kiosks are…
Tags: Andra Pradesh, aquaculture products, cellular telephone, Harsha de Silva, Helani Galpaya, India, Indian Institute of Management, Indian Tobacco Company, INR, Internet kiosks, LKR, mobile phone applications, mobile phones, Montana, Subhash C. Bhatnagar.
State-owned telco BSNL on Monday said it plans to launch India’s biggest IPO to raise over US$10 billion. “The company is valued at well over US$100 billion. We are looking at offloading up to 10% stake, subject to government approval,” BSNL finance director S K Saxena told reporters. When asked about the development, telecom minister A Raja said: “The government is considering it (an IPO). The department of telecom (DoT) will discuss the issue and take a final decision soon”.
BSNL has an equity base of Rs 5,000 crore, which translates to a shareholding structure of 500 crore shares at a face value of Rs 10 each. BSNL executives said this would not be a disinvestment, but a dilution of stake by the government through the…
It was not long ago that Laloo Prasad Yadav Minister of Railways and former Bihar Chief Minister sarcastically asked what computers can do for his constituency, comprised mostly of agriculture communities. Had he been to Madurai with the CPRSouth participants on last Monday (Dec 17) perhaps he might have learnt.
This lady, with so many others, plays an integral role in ROPE (Rural Outsourced Production Enterprise) which sets up dedicated village-based contract production centers for its clients. Its mission is to integrate domestic and international markets with informal sectors of rural India and generate value for the skills and resources available in these sectors.
This lady and others like her, we were told, make INR 50 (USD 1.26) per day on this part time job of making banana…
Harsha de Silva & Payal Malik 20 May 6pm
PM: specifically looking at subsidy mechanisms for diversification, hence ‘moving beyond the market . Instruments looking at are hte universal service obligation fund (USF) and hte access deficit charge (ADC). There has been a diminishing of market efficiency gap (i.e, efficiency is improving). Slide # 3 shows the major improvements in efficiency in the market. However there are still further improvements that can be made. Increased focus on cellular mobile infrastructure deployment: 68.81 percent growth vs 6.6 percent Rural DELs installed by BSNL through license fees relief - about Rs. 1 m has been compensated, in the form of reimbursements from license fees Access gap is evident, and affordability is a concern. current ARPU are inadequate to…
Tags: ADC, DHQs, Harsha de Silva, India, INR, market-based solutions, NLDOs, public telephone facility, Rs, Technology bias, technology neutral, USD, USO Fund.
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