SQL Star bags Rs.80 crore e-Agriculture Marketing project to computerize MP mandis

SQL Star International Ltd. has bagged a pathbreaking 'e-Agricultural Marketing' project on a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) basis, worth Rs.80 crore from the MP Agricultural Marketing Board. Under this project, all operations of 229 mandis in MP will be available online. The project, the first of its kind in the country, is a unique model of public-private participation in IT for the agricultural sector. This project is a part of the MP government's objectives to promote e-governance. SQL Star has been entrusted with the task of ensuring, that IT applications are provided for provisioning of services to farmers efficiently.

According to a company spokesperson, "SQL Star will provide IT infrastructure to take online all mandis in MP, using state-of-art technologies including a relational database, Smartcard interface, connectivity over VSATs, video-conferencing, and 24x7 live interface of mandis with regional offices and the head office in Bhopal." It will also provide modules for kisan interaction from the mandis through video-conferencing for knowledge enrichment on best agricultural practices, and transmission and sharing of agriculture departments' data. The transmission backbone will also be made available to other state government departments for a nominal fee. Through this e-Agricultural Marketing project named e-Krishi Vipnan (EKVI), SQL Star endeavors to establish a new generation of fully transparent agricultural marketing practices. 

SQL Star will implement this project on a BOO basis over 6.5 years after approval of the 'pilot', scheduled to be completed by October 2003. It will provide all the required hardware, software, connectivity and operational support. The company will also develop application software for the entire gamut of mandi transactions, to make for faster transactions and lesser paperwork within the mandi yard, cutting down on time spent by both farmers and traders. Payment of mandi fees and filing of returns by traders will also be facilitated. The software will provide a daily listing of commodity prices locally and at principal centers. This will help farmers optimize their selling decisions and traders to make their purchase decisions, as information would be provided real-time. Reconciliation of accounts and issuance of various certificates will also become easier.

DQW News Bureau