Proposal for developing a local initiative on e-gram website to market the products of SHGs in the State. Project Specification Background: The Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojna (SGSY) is being implemented as a major self- employment programme in the rural areas of all states / UTs with emphasis on micro enterprise development in clusters. The SGSY aims at establishing large number of micro enterprises and development of activity clustering to ensure that the assisted swarozgaris cross the poverty line over a reasonable period of time. Marketing is an important aspect of any self employment programme and comprises a major component of the forward linkage. SHGs particularly in Gujarat, though high in numbers, are badly lacking in marketing infrastructure and facilities. The SGSY programme emphasizes the facilitation by the State government of backward and forward linkages i.e. SGSY has a provision for providing professional inputs, consultative services, market links and infrastructure, etc. With this background it is felt that the state can take an e-initiative to have an all round effective marketing strategy for the products of various SHGs. Structure: €¢ To make the marketing effective it would be necessary to involve the manufactures i.e. the SHGs directly for marketing their products €¢ SHGs can take up the job of marketing by forming Taluka level Marketing Committees which can be registered under the Societies Act, 1960. It will consist of members Selected from amongst leaders of SHG groups. €¢ These will also act as opinion groups. €¢ There can also be District level and State level committees consisting of Presidents of the Taluka level Committees and/or the leaders of SHGs. €¢ The State level committee can be a joint committee of government & SHG stakeholders. €¢ These committees will coordinate the activities within the districts with the support from government and also serve as a monitoring body at the State level. Linkages €¢ Linkages with other organization like NGOs who can provide either support in marketing or training for the same can also take place through these committees €¢ Linkages with industrial organization from the private and public sector (like GRIMCO) will aid in the marketing process €¢ These linkages will also act as on opinion group. Marketing by the SHGs €¢ It is suggested that there could be a tie-up with a cell phone agency such as BSNL which could provide one cell phone each to the SHG leaders. €¢ These cell phones can be used either directly to take orders (by giving publicity on website), or the e-gram/ taluka office/ Jan Seva Kendra can receive orders through internet and communicate the same to the SHGs. €¢ The tie up package with the cell phone company should include training for the use of cells to receive orders as well as to market them through SMS. €¢ Some kind of subsidized rates could be offered initially , say for a period of one year, followed by regular charges €¢ Orders received either through e-gram or on cell will have to acknowledge receipt. Some electronic system can be devised for that. Factors to be taken care of : €¢ It would be necessary to identify the SHGs very carefully for participating in this initiative. €¢ The initial exercise of collecting and collating the database will have to be done in a very systematic manner €¢ This initiative will work best if interoperability is established with all levels- i.e. Taluka, District and State. €¢ Capacity building and wide dissemination will be the key to its success Name of Govt. Agency / Department Department of Rural Development Function (Admin/Finance etc) Marketing Initiative under Swarnajayanti Gram Syarozgar Yojana (SGSY) Through Govt. Website. Location Gandhi Nagar Computerization Objectives €¢ Develop Database and make arrangements for simultaneous updating. €¢ Categorize goods produced by the Self- Help Groups that can be marketed in rural setting, urban setting, and other areas of state, outside the state and outside the country. €¢ Develop Management Information System (MIS) at Taluka, District, State and National level. €¢ Develop strategy for e-marketing User interface requirements Compulsory Database requirements Database: Database development will have to form the base for the implementation of any marketing strategy. Categorization and classification of information at various levels is vital. Its continuous updating and verification are equally important. Looking to the need, Data can be classified as below. (Illustrative) €¢ Names and addresses of SHGs €¢ Names of members, address of SHG members and SHG leaders. €¢ Details of Bank Account of SHG. €¢ Product description and Unique Selling Proposition €¢ Raw material used in the product. €¢ Machinery required/used if any. €¢ Pricing. €¢ Packaging. Integration requirements Web enabled Current Usage of IT 256MB RAM, Windows OS Current technology platform Preferred Technologies Solutions must be created using technologies like Java, Eclipse, DB2 Community Edition, WAS CE OR IBM products like WebSphere Studio, WebSphere Application Server, DB2. Programming language should be Java as the solutions have to be cross-platform. If the solution requires a web front end, then scripting languages such as JavaScript, HTML, and JSP could be used. The end solution or software has to run on Linux/windows.