MMRDA brings virtual education to villages in Thane
As a pilot project, the Authority has covered 13 talukas in thane district. This would enable interactions with these villages from a central studio, to be established in MMRDA.
As a pilot project, the Authority has covered 13 talukas in thane district. This would enable interactions with these villages from a central studio, to be established in MMRDA.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), in what it may be a first of its kind project in India, has initiated a concept of virtual education centre through which villages in remote locations can be connected through satellite globally.
As a pilot project, the Authority has covered 13 talukas in thane district. This would enable interactions with these villages from a central studio, to be established in MMRDA. Mr. Ratnakar Gaikwad, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA said, These networking communication facilities are to be used for educational purposes initially, which can then be extended to health, agriculture, farming, banking etc. There can be one teacher in the studio teaching students in 10 villages simultaneously. Nonetheless, interaction of students with the teacher can be established. This project then can be scalable upwards to bring all villages under its ambit, said Mr Gaikwad.
MMRDA also desires to start first of its kind Communication Facility Centre (CFC) at Nelje, which will be converging point of education, business, health and entertainment. Mr. Gaikwad further added, The virtual communication facilities can also be utilized for providing information to the farmers about commodity markets and also for entertainment. Though, all other critical services shall be free of cost, entertainment services can be charged under which, the entire village can watch regional movies and entertainment programmes.
The demonstration of installed technology was done on 4th November, 2010 successfully wherein the educational officers of Zilla Parishad – Thane located at various locations could establish video conference contact with the Metropolitan Commissioner of MMRDA who addressed all of the 9 centres simultaneously from central studio from Andheri and had a interactive session . These facilities are expected to be fully operational by 1st week of December, 2010 in thane district.