1. RuralBazar Ideas of Today for a better Tomorrow National Informatics Centre, Department of Information Technology, Ministry of Communication & Information Technology, Government of India Contact e-mail address : crisp@hub.nic.in

2. National Informatics Centre National Informatics Centre Envisions Re-defining the position of Indian Rural Poor by extending the boundaries for their activities (products and services) through IT based initiatives thereby helping them become part of the main stream of our national economy

3. National Informatics Centre Problem Definition Rural Poor are skilled on traditional activities and produce excellent products Rural Poor are skilled on traditional activities and produce excellent products Some of the efforts from Govt., NGOs have also trained them on new skills /technologies Some of the efforts from Govt., NGOs have also trained them on new skills /technologies These rich products are produced at individual or community level in rural areas These rich products are produced at individual or community level in rural areas These efforts of Rural Poor do not yield adequate return due to poor marketing facilities These efforts of Rural Poor do not yield adequate return due to poor marketing facilities

4. National Informatics Centre Domain Analysis - Current Scenario An analysis of the current scenario brings to light the following points: Most of the products are sold in the local rural haats. Most of the products are sold in the local rural haats. Some state government bodies extend preferential treatment to these products at the time of procurement Some state government bodies extend preferential treatment to these products at the time of procurement Attempts are made to publicize and promote the sale of these products through periodic exhibitions and melas Attempts are made to publicize and promote the sale of these products through periodic exhibitions and melas By and large, marketing issues such as demand assessment, brand identification, product promotion etc. have, at best, been extended cursory consideration.

5. National Informatics Centre Domain Analysis - Challenges Sale of products mostly confined to Rural haats; therefore Sale of products mostly confined to Rural haats; therefore May not fetch a very good price for the productsMay not fetch a very good price for the products Limited demand; low turnover;low incomeLimited demand; low turnover;low income Chance for product improvement is limitedChance for product improvement is limited Limited awareness in the global market Limited awareness in the global market Products not available all the time in most of the places Products not available all the time in most of the places

6. National Informatics Centre Domain Analysis - Challenges Full financial benefits not realised by the rural producer Full financial benefits not realised by the rural producer Nearly impossible to analyze the market Nearly impossible to analyze the market

7. National Informatics Centre Possible Solution Provide a marketing infrastructure that ensures a ready market for these products

8. National Informatics Centre Solution Characteristics... The marketing infrastructure should be such that it Is durable in terms of time Is durable in terms of time Publicizes and promotes the widest range of products to the widest possible customer base Publicizes and promotes the widest range of products to the widest possible customer base Provides an any time - any where access to the customers Provides an any time - any where access to the customers Facilitates unhindered flow of financial benefits, generated from the sale of products, to producers Facilitates unhindered flow of financial benefits, generated from the sale of products, to producers Reveals customer preferences thereby assisting the rural entrepreneurs in understanding the potential demand Reveals customer preferences thereby assisting the rural entrepreneurs in understanding the potential demand

9. National Informatics Centre RuralBazar... … An Internet based solution from NIC Introducing the world to Indian Rural Craftsmanship an e-commerce approach an e-commerce approach

10. National Informatics Centre RuralBazar – Product Profile  Objective  Beneficiaries  Implementing Agencies  Technical Consultant  To address the marketing needs of rural producers through a web based e-commerce solution  Indian Rural Producers  NGOs & government agencies  NIC/NICSI

11. National Informatics Centre RuralBazar – Unique Features  Built in product Catalog that can be easily extended to accommodate new products  Can be installed as a Product showcasing siteProduct showcasing site Site that showcases products & accepts offline paymentsSite that showcases products & accepts offline payments Site that showcases products & accepts offline as well as online paymentsSite that showcases products & accepts offline as well as online payments  Can be installed at State LevelState Level District LevelDistrict Level

12. National Informatics Centre RuralBazar – Customer Services  Comprehensive Search Facility Search within a Product FamilySearch within a Product Family Search within a price rangeSearch within a price range Search by StateSearch by State Search by DistrictSearch by District

13. National Informatics Centre RuralBazar – Customer Services  Order confirmation & tracking Offline as well as OnlineOffline as well as Online  Multiple payment options Online through credit cardsOnline through credit cards Offline through Demand Draft/Postal OrderOffline through Demand Draft/Postal Order  Personalised service to registered users  Online help

14. National Informatics Centre RuralBazar – Producer Services  RuralBazar Client Software Provides a simple and easy-to-use interface for updation and maintenance of product catalog, producer ’ s profile, discount info etc.Provides a simple and easy-to-use interface for updation and maintenance of product catalog, producer ’ s profile, discount info etc. Uploads data automatically through e-mailUploads data automatically through e-mail  Automatic emails for producers whenever a new order is placed  Advertising and discount campaigns  Demand analysis reports

15. National Informatics Centre RuralBazar – An Implementation Strategy RuralBazar – An Implementation Strategy Product catalog online Order Placement Online Payment Online Market Analysis Online Promotion Strategy

16. National Informatics Centre RuralBazar - Architecture RuralBazar (web site) RuralBazar (web site) Internet RuralBazar (Client) RuralBazar (Client) RuralBazar (Client) RuralBazar (Client) RuralBazar (Customer) RuralBazar (Customer) Data Entry Locations (Win2K, Commerce Server 2000, SQL Server2000) (Win 95 /98 / 2K Prof) (Web Browser) (LAN) (WAN)

17. National Informatics Centre Operationalization - Main Players National Informatics Centre National Informatics Centre Client Organization Client Organization NGONGO Government AgencyGovernment Agency

18. National Informatics Centre Responsibilities - NIC Provide application software (and upgrades) for RuralBazar Provide application software (and upgrades) for RuralBazar Train the client organization Train the client organization Provide technical consultancy Provide technical consultancy

19. National Informatics Centre Responsibilites - Client Organization Procure and set up the necessary computing and communication environment Procure and set up the necessary computing and communication environment Identify the location of the computing environment Identify the location of the computing environment Collect product and producer profile from the producer Collect product and producer profile from the producer Intimate order requirement to the producer Intimate order requirement to the producer

20. National Informatics Centre Responsibilites - Client Organization Identify warehousing and shipment options Identify warehousing and shipment options Monitor product shipment Monitor product shipment In case online payment is to be enabled, establish a tie-up with In case online payment is to be enabled, establish a tie-up with an acquiring/merchant bank accountan acquiring/merchant bank account a payment gatewaya payment gateway Update the content of the web store Update the content of the web store

21. National Informatics Centre RuralBazar - Current Status  Product launched recently  Concept and prototype was test run for Tripura ( http://purbasha.nic.in ) http://purbasha.nic.in  Government of Tamil Nadu implementing on a pilot basis for two districts ( http://ruralbazar.tn.nic.in ) http://ruralbazar.tn.nic.in  Being implemented as a part of CIC project for North-East ( http://cicserver.nic.in/ruralbazar ) http://cicserver.nic.in/ruralbazar

22. National Informatics Centre RuralBazar – The Road Ahead  Integration with wireless network to  Interact with customers over any communicating device  Communicate with remote producers thereby resolving the last-mile problem

23. National Informatics Centre Resurrectionof Rural Artisans requires RuralBazar … RuralBazar … (A WebStore) … and the support of agencies working for rural development Resurrectionof Rural Artisans requires RuralBazar … RuralBazar … (A WebStore) … and the support of agencies working for rural development … Thank You