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Strategy #5

Apart from attracting outside companies, steps need to be taken to create local awareness of e-commerce and hence create small entrepreneurs locally. Not only that, farmers should be made aware of the benefits such as removal of intermediaries and increasing their profit margin.
This in turn would result in internal growth in the rural areas.

Conclusion

The power of e-commerce for regional communities is that it alleviates the constraints of distance and isolation on business, employment and access to services. In order to successfully confront the challenges posed by e-commerce, regional communities will need to muster strategic vision and leadership, foster initiative and enthusiasm, and take a proactive approach to ensuring that they have all the resources they need to take maximum advantage of the information economy. We also need to make sure that appropriate support is provided to the corporate for such initiatives. ITC’s e-choupal, as illustrated is one of the best example in this area.

More such initiatives are needed to be taken, not only by corporates but also by government as the next stepping stone to the success of India is the growth of rural economy and to make its dream come true of growing at 10% rate, this is the thing which is of utmost important. There is immense potential in terms of the services that can be provided to rural India as shown above but it needs to be seen as to how far this potential is realized. A road map is now laid for us to progress and it is in our hands whether to follow or not.

Concluded.

* Contributed by: -
Nishant Waghela,
Alumni of IIM Ahmedabad,
Working at SBI, Mumbai.