[Fsf-friends] To hell with Yechury's opinion on Free Software, CPI-M (W Bengal) is with Microsoft.

[CK Raju]

Part I
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"With the support of MORD and MIT , Govt of India, the P&RD Dept, Govt
of West Bengal computerised 18 ZPs,92 Panchayat Samities and 382 Gram
Panchayats as on 30/04/2007 With the support from UNDP under ICTD
project the WBSRDA in P&RD Dept has a plan to cover 20 Panchayat
Samities and 50 Gram Panchayats of Burdwan district by 2005-06 where
Integrated Fund Monitoring and Accounting Systems will be installed at
PS and Gram Panchayat Management System will be installed. Moreover
34GPs in 4 Panchayat Samities( AusgramI, Galsi I, Galsi II and
BurdwanII) of Burdwan dist will generate their GIS maps for decision
support system in plnning and monitoring of various development
programmes. So far in Burdwan district 106GPs and 31 Panchayat Samitis
could be computerised. The DRISTI pilot project has been awarded the
Microsoft e-Governance Award 2006 on 28th September for the Excellent
activities in promotion of Local Self Government..."
Details at http://wbprd.gov.in/html/asp/news_show.asp?newsnum=001
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Part II
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"...The project involved expansion of existing PC infrastructure to
ensure that software such as the Gram Panchayat Management System
(GPMS), Integrated Fund Monitoring and Accounting System (IFMAS) and
Rural Household Survey (RHS) could be installed and accessed quickly
and efficiently by all Panchayati Raj institutions. A key mandate for
this undertaking was to ensure that the planned infrastructure should
not be impacted by rural environment conditions such as dust and power
irregularities..." Details at
http://www.infoworld.com/news/feeds/08/09/15/West-Bengal-govt-and-AMD-complete-eGovernance-project.html?source=gs
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This should be the era of a neo-liberal Buddha.
Cheers,
CK Raju
Kharagpur