Circular on Data Entry of Mandi Prices by USSD
1
No. Z-11018/2/2007-IT Government of India Ministry of Agriculture
Department of Agriculture & Cooperation
****
Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi-1 Dated July 07, 2014 To
Joint Secretary (Marketing)-cum- Agriculture Marketing Advisor,
Directorate of Marketing & Inspection Faridabad
Subject: Use of Interactive Text Messaging (USSD) for data entry of Mandi prices and arrivals without internet
Sir,
There are 7114 regulated markets (i.e. Mandis) in the country out of which 3397 have got computer infrastructure and internet connectivity and are currently functioning as Agmarknet nodes. However, due to occasional problems in the IT infrastructure and internet connectivity, this data entry for prices takes place on an average only from 800 – 900 Mandis on any given day. This figure is still lesser for arrivals. So far, data was being sent to the Agmarknet server either by email or by message queue service of Microsoft. Now, a web-based interface for data entry has been made available by NIC at www.agmarknet.nic.in/market_online. Passwords have been conveyed and a training session over video-conference has been held. Data entry will thus become simpler and more real-time. Some of the glitches in the software pointed out by the undersigned are being resolved on priority basis.
However, hardware and connectivity glitches may still take place.
Moreover, most of the Mandis still do not have computers and connectivity.
In order to overcome this problem, a technology based on interactive text messaging (without any internet connectivity) using mobile phones (technically called Unstructured Supplementary Service Data or USSD)
Circular on Data Entry of Mandi Prices by USSD
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can be used for doing data entry of prices and arrivals. Salient features of this interface developed by this Department along with NIC are as follows:
(i) Since it is text messaging, it can be used on any mobile handset even as old as first generation phones released in the late 1990s.
(ii) No internet service is required on the phone.
(iii) A sum of Rs. 5 per month per mobile number plus service charges will be charged by NICSI for using this interactive messaging (for sending prices) service which will be paid for centrally by this Department. The service will be toll free for the end user who would be doing the data entry. Data-entry is proposed to be incentivised by payment of an average monthly amount @ Rs. 1000 per person per month and also by giving these persons an option of joining a very economical Closed User Group (CUG) of mobile phone connections being introduced by this Department.
(iv) This service is currently available on BSNL, Airtel, Idea and Tata Docomo GSM service. Vodafone is likely to be added soon. However, the service is not supported on CDMA technology. Thus, Reliance and Tata Indicom CDMA phones will not support this facility.
(v) Every Mandi will be identified by registered mobile number(s) of the person(s) who will be doing the data entry. In order to ensure continuity, it may be desirable to have a permanent SIM of the Mandi.
(vi) The interface is intuitive and easy to use. It does not require any extensive training. Once the person in-charge at the Agmarknet node dials *491*105# from his mobile number, subsequent self-explanatory instructions will keep appearing on the screen to guide him through different menus. Data relevant to that Mandi (as per historical trends) will be shown first.
Circular on Data Entry of Mandi Prices by USSD
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(vii) The steps involved in entering the data along with screen shots have been given in Annexure – I. Previous Menu and Main Menu can also at any stage be reached as described in Annexure-I. Moreover, prices and arrivals can be entered in any order. The illustration below gives screenshots when price entry is done after arrivals.
It is, therefore, requested that a consolidated list of Mandi-wise mobile numbers may be provided. For this purpose, a spreadsheet containing District-wise Mandis has been e-mailed to you. Only name(s), mobile numbers against each Mandi and preferably Mobile Service Provider of such persons [who would be authorized to do data entry or permanent mobile number of the Mandi as per point no. (v) above] need to be entered. After the mobile numbers are subscribed for using USSD service, Mandis will be able to start doing the data entry. An intimation regarding USSD service will be sent by SMS.
Yours faithfully,
(Sanjeev Gupta) Joint Secretary (IT & Extn.) Copy to:-
1. Secretary (A&C) for information
2. Additional Secretary (DS) for information
3. Additional Secretary (DKJ) for information and necessary action 4. The Director General, NIC, New Delhi
5. Sh. Rajesh Gera, DDG, NIC
6. Dr. Ranjana Nagpal, Deputy Director General, NIC, New Delhi
7. Shri Y.M. Rao, Joint Agricultural Marketing Adviser, M/o.Agri, New Delhi
8. Shri A.N. Misra, Sr. Tech. Dir., NIC
9. Shri Rajiv Kumar, Technical Director, NIC, Faridabad 10. Shri Rajesh Srivastava, System Analyst, NIC, New Delhi
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Circular on Data Entry of Mandi Prices by USSD
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session to ensure that time-out does not take place.
