7,500 electronic kiosks for State

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, NOV. 28. The Andhra Pradesh Government has given the green signal to Reliance Industries to float a joint venture with the AP Technology Services Ltd. (APTS) to set up 7,500 electronic kiosks across the State.

The electronic information centres (EICs) will provide a host of citizen-friendly services and affordable access to the internet. The EICs will be ready in 18 months to two years. The Cabinet, which met on Tuesday, approved a Reliance proposal for the joint venture.

Talking to reporters later, the Minister for Finance, Mr. Yanamala Ramakrushnudu, said the project would involve no cost to the Government although the Reliance would have a 95 per cent equity in the joint venture and the APTS 5 per cent.

The APTS equity would be in the form of non-cash through facilitating access to the e-governance information. The joint venture would supplement the efforts of various Government departments in providing better services to citizens, including payment of utility bills. More importantly, it will bring internet and e-governance to the doorsteps of the people in the rural areas.

Mr. Ramakrushnudu explained that Reliance would lay optic fibre lines to a length of 2,246 km in the first phase, of which digging to an extent of 1,035 km was completed and laying of cables was under way. The first phase was expected to be completed by the end of February. The next phase would cover 3,200 km. Reliance Industries had signed similar MoUs with Governments of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

The Cabinet also approved the draft bill to amend the AP Urban Areas Development Act to empower the Government to constitute new urban development authorities or identify and carve out new ones from the existing authorities for focussed development of the area. The bill is to replace an ordinance in vogue.

At a separate media interface, the Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development, Mr. N. Md. Farook, explained that an authority for developing Buddha Purnima complex in Hyderabad was being set up by carving this out from the jurisdiction of the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA).

A special officer in charge of the new UDA would be appointed ``as early as possible.'' A similar proposal in respect of Cyberabad (covering Hi-tec City and neighbourhood) was under consideration. An Ahmedabad-based firm was appointed consultant.

The Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Vadde Sobhanadreeswara Rao said the Cabinet had reviewed the seasonal conditions, kharif prospects and preparations for rabi season and power supply.

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