The state panchayat and rural department in association with the Kolkata-based Pixel Informatics Private Limited is planning to distribute close to 50,000 mobile phones uploaded with SMSLive software by the end of the year, in a bid to track the implemention of NREGS.

This is a part of the m-governance or mobile governance project, a new initiative taken up by the P&RD department to expedite the implementation of the 100 days National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Also Read   Related Stories News Now - The employment imperative - Expansion of NREGS on Congress wish list - Congress attacks Left for 'poor' progress in Bengal - Aditi Phadnis: Gentlemen also win - Pawar slams Cong on political advice - Call to simplify social audit manuals

Also Read   Related Stories News Now - Markets post worst May performace since 2006 - Kavveri Telecom Q4 net declines over 6% - Wall Street opens flat on economy worries - RIM to set up first BlackBerry innovation zone in India - Rajaratnam bragged about sources of inside info: Gupta lawyers More

Ankur Banerjee,director, Pixel Informatics Private Limited said, “We presented a proof of concept to the state P&RD department February last year and got the clearance after the success of the field test in two districts of South 24 paraganas and Purulia. We plan to complete the entire implementation of this m-governance project in West Bengal by the end of the year.” SMSLive, the mobile-based enquiry system, would help collect data of the beneficiaries under the NREGS.

In the first phase, beginning April 7 the state P&RD has handed over 1,100 mobile handsets to members of gram panchayats, panchayat samity and supervisors of NREGS in seventeen districts of Bengal. The department planned to distribute 50,000 phones in all the 18 districts of Bengal by the end of this year, he said. SMSLive will help the department collect field data of the number of men and women who reported for work and the amount disbursed instantly at the click of a message.

The supervisors of NREGS working on the field who have been entrusted with the job of collecting status of daily attendance and payment disbursal to wage earners, would have to send live attendance data by 2pm trough mobile message on a daily basis.

As on date, Rs 940 crore has been disbursed.

New Ipad Application :Business Standard's all new IPad App Click here to download for free Other Stories      - Markets post worst May performace since 2006 - Kavveri Telecom Q4 net declines over 6% - Wall Street opens flat on economy worries - RIM to set up first BlackBerry innovation zone in India - Rajaratnam bragged about sources of inside info: Gupta lawyers

Tags : P&RD | NREGS |   Read Business news in  Advertisements -  Help a Child Achieve her. Click to know more -  Benefits Upto Rs. 2.36 Lakhs on the Fully Loaded TJet Petrol. -  Watch The Film Here. Click here to know more.. -  1 billion in saving for Unilever without any tangles. -  One Partnership Endless Possibilities. Click here to know more -  Which is the best plan for your daughter -  Check out the TRUE COLOURS of your Stocks, Now for FREE!