GRAMIN SUVIDHA KENDRA
Description
Gramin Suvidha Kendra (GSK) is a joint initiative of India Post and Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd. (MCX). GSK endeavors to create futures price-sensitivity among the commodity eco-system participants and build Agri-decision support framework in the rural arena. This unique program aims to demonstrate how the widespread network (over 155,000) of India Post across the country can be synergized with MCX to cater to the need for market information, warehousing, advisory, and agriculture inputs among the Indian farming community. Conceptualized in June 2006, the model was first launched at Jalgaon in Maharashtra and later replicated to other locations. Currently GSK covers more than 850 villages through 12 centers and has more than 4300+ registered farmer members.
What we deliver
Services to farmers through GSK: Daily update of future and spot market prices for the agricultural commodities specific to their area on a centrally located Blackboard in their villages Query redressal Warehousing and warehouse receipt financing Quality Agri inputs at their doorstep Weather insurance.
Why is the project unique?
A unique PPP model: GSK operates on a spoke and hub model and parallel’s the existing multi-tiered structure of India Post. Head offices are present at the city level, sub-post offices (SOs) at the taluka (sub-city) level and branch-post offices (BOs) at the village level. The BOs exchange postal bags on a daily basis with SOs and herein lays the significance of this network. SO is made the hub and MCX provides the ICT setup and a centre-coordinator. To display GSK informational content, BOs are provided with blackboards along with necessary stationeries, suiting to the power-reality in rural India. Price information and other services are provided using this network. Revenue generative and sustainable: GSK incorporates a revenue-earning mechanism at each step of transaction, beginning with rent paid to India Post for using the space and services. Revenue-sharing is done at every level right from registration and query generation to selling of agri inputs. GSK provides opportunities for rural youths to stay within the region and work for its people, A single window platform with multiple partners: GSK is a single window platform with multiple partners that caters to the pre-harvest and post-harvest requirements of farmers’ from price information, agri inputs, warehousing, spot exchange, query redressal and weather insurance, providing all the services right at the doorstep.
Roadmap
Digital and ICT based technology is embedding its footprint in rural India Bridging the Urban Rural divide, with Garmin Suvidha Kendra also, MCX aims to make technology reach masses and make it more user friendly for the Bottom of Pyramid. By empowering farmers with price information it is helping them take informed decisions for their crops, in turn helping them to become a marketer rather than just be a producer. ICT helps create multiple options for rural India, and gives villager more bargaining power leading to overall economic prosperity of the country.
Contact
Ms. Sarita Bahl
MULTI COMMODITY EXCHANGE OF INDIA LTD
Vice- President, Group CSO, Exchange Square, Suren Road, Chakala, Andheri-east
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
400093
URL/Website – http://gsk.mcxindia.com/
