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 TERI
has established the first-ever solar-powered IT knowledge
centre in rural Gurgaon. This IT knowledge centre provides
clean and reliable power solutions through a hybrid universal
solar power pack developed by TERI, which uses solar energy
to charge batteries and provide reliable power for appliances
like computers. Role of ICT in disseminating knowledge for
overall development of rural communities is indisputable.
The uniqueness of this solar-powered centre lies in the fact
that it appeals to the community by offering services like
water-testing solution, sale of culinary herbs and solar products
(torches and lantern), natural resource management, and a
small library for children.
Run by a local entrepreneur, this knowledge centre will provide
various fee- and non-fee-based services to the local rural
population using ICT as a tool. It will provide services like
computer education, Internet services, desktop publishing,
library, spoken English, and agricultural information to the
local rural population in the vicinity. The centre will also
be a meeting ground for the farmers for swapping information
on agriculture produces. They can also exchange ideas and
knowledge with the TERI experts on a wide range of subjects.
 Supi
is a small village in Mukteshwar, Nainital, in the state of
Uttarakhand. It is in close proximity to Ramgarh and located
at an altitude of more than 2000 m, offering a panoramic view
of the Himalayas. Farming is the main occupation of the local
people. The region witnesses snowfall from December to February.
TERI has also set up a development resource centre at Supi
called TRISHA (TERI’s Research Initiative at Supi for
Himalayan Advancement). The centre houses herbal gardens and
technology transfer demonstration plots for conservation and
sustainable utilization of selected medicinal and aromatic
plants. These gardens also serve as demonstration and training
sites for local farmers, entrepreneurs, NGOs, and so on. Here,
people are exposed to improved cultivation techniques, enterprise
development, value addition, and processing of medicinal and
aromatic plant species.
This centre has been created as a hub for nurturing and transferring
technologies to the communities around it. Local entrepreneurs
are trained to start their enterprises and take forward the
spirit of ICT-endowed knowledge centres that are based on
a sustainable model.
Like TERI’s other ICT-enabled knowledge centers, is
an environment-friendly, energy-efficient, community-centric,
and sustainable centre. This center has been set-up in partnership
with MCX which provided basic IT hardware and knowledge on
commodity trading to the center.
Efforts are underway to integrate a community radio initiative,
through this centre, for greater participation.
Managed by a local entrepreneur, the centre has also become
a hub for interactions between local farmers and agricultural
scientists on various local issues related to agriculture,
forestry, and herbal garden. Local children are educated on
environment conservation measures though interactive computer-based
games and lessons. Capacity-building measures are undertaken
to inform and guide women on various aspects of health and
sanitation.
 Sahiya
is a small village located between Kalsi and Chakrata (army
base situated at a height of 7000 feet) in Dehra Dun district.
Due to army occupation in the area, two gates are located:
one at Kalsi and one at Sahiya. Major occupation of the people
in this area is agriculture. Sahiya is situated 25 km from
Chakrata. The area is a vast dense forest, dotted with attractive
villages of the Jaunsari tribe, and has 3084-m high peak of
Kharamba.
TERI set up its knowledge centre to provide services to the
local population, which is far removed from the city. The
centre presently delivers IT-based services like DTP, digital
photography, Internet solutions, and newly introduced computer
education. Presently, the beneficiaries are the adults and
youth of the village, who avail various services offered by
the centre. Farmers also come to the centre for buying seeds.
The knowledge centre organized painting and quiz competitions
at a local school on the occasion of Earth Day on 6 June 2007.
This center has also been set-up with support from MCX which
provided basic IT hardware and knowledge on commodity to the
center.
 A
TERI knowledge centre was established in Teppeda Begur village
of Nelamangala taluka, Bangalore Rural District. TERI is currently
implementing an integrated watershed development project known
as DROP (Development, Rehabilitation and Outreach Project)
in the same village. The interventions being carried out under
the DROP project are: supplying rural drinking water, promoting
sanitation and hygiene, recharging groundwater, installing
rooftop rainwater harvesting systems, undertaking women development
initiatives, implementing health and education programmes,
and managing demand of water.
The local entrepreneur, Mr Pradeep Kumar, perceives this
centre to be a knowledge hub for the villagers, especially
youth and students, as well as a source of income for himself.
The knowledge centre will also serve the villagers of the
adjoining villages, as till recently, most of them had to
travel more than 10 km to avail any IT-related service. The
knowledge centre will provide information to the villagers
on their livelihood as well as a whole range of commercial
services such as Internet browsing, DTP services, digital
photography and printing, and computer training.
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