Union Digital Center (UDC)
Implementation Manual

Government Organization (NILG)

Department of Local Government, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh

Table of contents

Subject

Page

Background

Relevance

Institutional involvement

The role of the Union Council

Role of Upazila Administration

The role of district administration

The role of the local government department

Access-to-Information(A2I) Introduction to the program

The role of development partners

Introduction to Technical Support Organizations

Institutional structure

Terms of Union Council Election

UISC Management

Local Entrepreneur

Responsibilities and duties of local entrepreneurs

Infrastructure

Materials

Skill development activities

Motivation activities

Appendix

List of information services

Contract with local entrepreneur

Entry Register

Account Register

Report format

1. Background:

Free flow of information is one of the prerequisites for people's empowerment. By ensuring the flow of information, especially among the backward people, it is possible to bring about a positive change in the meaning of their lives. Grassroots Involvement of local government institutions is essential to ensure people's empowerment by providing information services to a wide range of people at the grassroots level. To this end, the local government department is in phases at the union level Initiatives have been taken to set up a ‘Union Information Service Center (UISC)’. UISC is a state-of-the-art information center (telecentre) aimed at bringing grassroots people to their doorsteps.Ensure information services. Notable benefits at UISC include - Internet connection for communication at home and abroad in a very short time and at low cost; Information with Super Highway Convenience to exchange knowledge by browsing hundreds of thousands of websites around the world through connectivity; Agriculture in offline database in vivo, audio, animation and text format, Information and services on health, education, law and human rights, employment, markets, various government forms, etc .; There will also be low cost computer and various skill enhancement training systems Various commercial services including computer, such as low cost composing, printing, photocopying, photocopying, scanning etc. services.

2. Relevance

Building a 'digital' Bangladesh is one of the main electoral commitments of the present government. The implementation of this pledge requires ensuring free flow of information at the grassroots level through the establishment of UISC.

Possible. Moreover, UISC activities are able to play a significant role in achieving the goals of the government's Right to Information Act 2008. Meanwhile the government World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Plan of Action- 2003 -Information among the people as one of its signatories Determined to deliver technology services. Ensuring free flow of information has also been given importance in achieving the goals of the government's poverty alleviation program. So by 2020 the country UISC will be able to play a groundbreaking role in developing each union council as a hub for knowledge practice and all kinds of development activities in the area.

3. Institutional Involvement:

Although UISC is a union based information service center, there is involvement of various organizations at local and national level for its smooth implementation. Institutional involvement is mentioned below-

3.1 Role of Union Parishad:

Union Parishad is the main entrepreneur of UISC. The Union Council will ensure overall oversight, management and accountability of UISC activities. However, the specific responsibilities of the Union Parishad are-
-     Allocate suitable rooms for setting up centers;

- Purchase and supply necessary materials outside the entrepreneur's portion;

- Purchase and supply of furniture required for setting up the center;

- Providing electricity connection, water connection and other necessary institutional facilities;

- Ensure necessary security;

- Provide full cooperation in the implementation of the activities of the UISC Steering Committee;

- To play a role in providing financial and infrastructural support from the local and national level for the development of UISC;

- Monitoring and evaluating the work of UISC;

- Preparation of fortnightly report.

3.2 Role of Upazila Administration (Focal Point):

- Finalize Union Council elections for UISC;

- Assist in providing / obtaining necessary administrative, technical and financial assistance to make UISC a financially self-sufficient institution;

- To play the role of coordinator in facilitating the involvement of UISC with other local government and non-government organizations;

- Arrangements for purchase of computers, printers, laptops and multimedia projectors in all unions;

- To create clear ideas in the minds of the people about e-services and e-governance;

- Monitoring and evaluating the work of UISC;

- Hold a progress review meeting at least once a month.

         - Visit these centers on a fortnightly basis.

         - To send the monthly report in the prescribed form to the district focal point.

3.3 Role of District Administration (Focal Point):

- To monitor the activities of Union and Upazila Focal Points in the implementation of UISC program.

- To provide overall support to Upazila Focal Point in Union Parishad elections for UISC;

- Assist in providing / obtaining necessary administrative, technical and financial assistance to make UISC a financially self-sufficient institution;

- To play the role of district coordinator in facilitating the involvement of UISC with other local government and non-government organizations;

- To create clear ideas in the minds of the people about e-services and e-governance;

- Implement field level training;

- Monitoring and evaluating the work of UISC;

- Hold a progress review meeting at least once a month.

         - During field visits, the ASL center should be visited on priority basis.

- To send the monthly report in the prescribed form to the Central Focal Point and the Prime Minister's Office.

3.4 Role of Local Government Department / NILG:

- Taking policy and legal decisions to establish UISC at the union level;

- Issuance of circulars at field level for setting up of UISC;

- Implement motivational programs at the national level;

- Involve donor agencies and other relevant national and international organizations to ensure financial and technical support for UISC;

- Provide assistance in establishing inter-ministerial connections for smooth coordination of work;

- Monitoring and evaluating the work of UISC;

- Preparation of fortnightly report.

3.5 Introduction to Access-to-Information (A2I) Program:

- A2I will create a digital database for UISC and provide it for free

- Provide technical assistance to Capacity Building for Union Councils and Entrepreneurs.

3.6 Role of development partners and NGOs:

- Provide project-based financial and technical assistance;

- To provide overall assistance in the implementation of the program through area-based volunteering and financing;

3.7 Introduction to Technical Support Organization:

- Provide assistance in skill development;

- Provide assistance in the implementation of motivational programs;

- Assist in the selection of local entrepreneurs;

- Provide technical conditional conditions for operation and maintenance.

4. Institutional structure:

4.1 Conditions for Union Parishad Election:

For setting up UISC-

1. Notable features of the 1st phase suitable Union Parishad elections include-

• New Union Parishad Complex;
      Power connection
      Unions that have computers and printers;
      Hat-bazaar adjacent to or near the Union Parishad;
      There is always a gathering of local people in the Union Parishad area;
      Union Council especially enterprising chairman;
      Local unemployed youth interested in running UISC etc.

2. In the 2nd stage-

    There is no new Union Parishad complex but the old building is usable;
    Has power connection;
    Computers and printers can be purchased from LGSP and revenue funds;
    Union Council especially enterprising chairman;
    Local unemployed youth interested in running UISC etc.

3. In the 3rd stage-

    Unions with no electricity connection are taking steps to install solar panels there;
    Computers and printers can be purchased from LGSP and revenue funds;
    Union Council especially enterprising chairman;

4.2 UISC Management:

There will be an 8-9 member ‘UISC Steering Committee’ to manage the UISC. The Chairman of the Union Parishad will ex officio be the head of this committee. The term of this committee will be two years. The UISC Steering Committee will be formed by direct vote of the members of the UISC General Committee. However the first year before a full committee is elected is for a maximum of one year

Union Parishad members will form an ad-hoc committee consisting of honest, enterprising and skilled people from the area. At least one-third of the total members of the committee shall be women; People of different professions will be represented in the committee. The Secretary of the Union Parishad shall provide necessary institutional and other assistance in discharging the duties of the Committee.

The UISC General Committee will be constituted as follows-

    Elected representatives of the Union Parishad (ex officio);
    All government officials / employees working at the union level (ex officio);
    Heads of all public and private educational institutions of the Union Parishad (ex officio);
    Heads of professional and social organizations approved by the government (ex officio);

1. At least 06 (six) persons per ward will be included as general members of the committee, representing the local people, among the people who are enthusiastic in conducting UISC and acceptable in the area. Ward members, heads of local ward educational institutions and heads of religious institutions (mosques, temples, churches, pagodas, etc.) will nominate ward representatives subject to discussion.

The UISC Executive Committee will be constituted as follows-

    President - Chairman of the Union Parishad (ex officio)
    Vice-President - Elected by general members

1. General Secretary- Elected by general members
   Money Executor- Elected by general members
   Social Motivation and Publicity Secretary- Elected by general members
   Office Secretary- Elected by general members
   Executive Members (Three) - Elected by General Members

4.3 Responsibilities of the Management Committee:

The UISC Steering Committee will be responsible for the overall management of the UISC. The specific responsibilities of this committee include-

- Selection of local entrepreneurs;

- Procurement and procurement of necessary materials for UISC;

- To provide necessary administrative and other assistance to the entrepreneur in the installation and maintenance of UISC materials;

- To provide overall assistance in the implementation of motivational programs to create widespread interest in information services among the people of the area;

- Provide overall support to the entrepreneur to complete the UISC income-expenditure accounting and reporting system properly;

- To review the activities of UISC by holding at least one meeting every month;

- Organizing a biennial general meeting to present and approve the income and expenditure account and full report of UISC in the general meeting.

4.4 Local Entrepreneurs:

Entrepreneurs need to be selected from among the educated youth in the area who have minimal idea of ​​computer use. However, women and unemployed youth should be given priority. The UISC Steering Committee will select the entrepreneurs in the light of specific policies. Entrepreneurs in charge of running UISC will not be employees of Union Parishad. The total cost of setting up UISC

A portion they will pay. In return, they will receive the proceeds from UISC for the next three years. After three years, the Union Parishad will determine the income and expenditure distribution policy keeping in view the mutual interests of the entrepreneurs and the Union Parishad.

4.5 Conditions for selection of local entrepreneurs:

- Local Entrepreneur (Educated Unemployed Youth) - who has the ability and interest to invest 20,000 - 50,000 or more;

- who is enterprising, industrious and organizer;

- Interest and ability to conduct necessary motivation programs to make the people of the area interested in receiving information services;

- who is living permanently in the area;

- Not accused of moral turpitude or anti-discipline;

- Who has a basic idea or interest in computer management and information technology;

- Who is interested in working with information services for the local community with the help of the Union Parishad.

4.6 Responsibilities and duties of local entrepreneurs

- To keep the UISC open to the public at certain times of the day subject to the approval of the UISC Steering Committee;

- Providing information services to the public;

- Installation and maintenance of UISC materials;

- To implement various motivational programs to create widespread interest in information services among the people of the area;

- Proper completion of UISC income and expenditure accounting and reporting;

- To provide necessary information as per the demand of the UISC Steering Committee at its monthly / biennial or other meetings.

5. Infrastructure:

The UISC will be set up in a suitable room of the Union Parishad. The Union Parishad will provide the necessary security support for the overall security and operation of the center.

. Materials:

A UISC will require multiple computers and related equipment to ensure improved information services to the public in the area, which can be installed in phases. But the minimum

With a computer with a stabilizer, a black and white printer, a color printer, a modem for on-line connection, a scanner, a digital camera, the activities of a UISC can be started initially. At the initial stage, a total of Rs. 100,000 (one lakh) may be required for this work. However, the following written materials are required for conducting full UISC

-

2 computers with stabilizer
    1 laser printer
    1 color printer
    1 modem
    1 scanner machine
    1 digital camera
    1 webcam
    1 multimedia projector with big screen
    1 generator

Depending on the local demand, any UISC may have more or less the same.

7. Skill Development Activities:

Necessary training will be provided to the entrepreneurs operating UISC. These training programs will be conducted centrally and locally (when applicable). Besides, Orientation Workshops will be organized from time to time to provide overall idea about the program to the Union Parishad Chairman, Upazila Nirbahi Officer, District Focal Point and members of various committees involved in the implementation of this program.

8. Motivation activities:

Various motivational programs will be undertaken to motivate the general public to avail information services from UISC. This program will be implemented at local and national level. National level

Notable programs will include TV and radio programs, newspaper reports and features, seminars, workshops, etc. At the local level, it is mainly a joint venture between the entrepreneur and the union council

Implementation of programs such as communication, meetings, rallies, miking, exhibitions in hat bazaars, distribution of leaflets, posters, stickers, organization of various competitions at school-college level etc. Ekaje upazila and district

Focal points will play an active role.

List of information services at UISC

The UISC database will have information services in two ways - offline and online. This database contains information and services in four formats: animation, video, audio and text.

• Information via Internet (Online): UISC will have an internet connection through which any person in the Union will be able to communicate with the rest of the world. It is possible to find any information as required from various local and foreign web sites.

• Offline database: UISC will have a huge database outside the Internet. This (offline) database will include various livelihood information services; Such as - agriculture, health, education, law and human rights, employment, markets, various government forms, etc.

• Commercial Services (1): Commercial services are available at affordable prices at UISC; Such as - sending emails, browsing the Internet, composing computers, printing, photocopying (coloring), scanning, renting a multimedia projector, etc.

• Commercial Services (2): UISC will have affordable computer training and various skill enhancement training. Skills training will be simple, affordable and on various income generating initiatives using local technology; Such as - making different food items, making different industrial materials (such as - candles), tailoring, repair of electrical materials, production of organic fertilizers etc.

• Counseling Services: The Union Council will ensure that regular counseling services are available from UISC to government officials (such as agriculture, health, etc.). Counseling services will include advice on soil testing, fertilizers, pesticides, fish farming, health, land registration, legislation, etc. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working on a union basis will also provide similar counseling services.

The value of information and services

UISC will provide all the information in the offline database free of cost. However, if you want to print any information and services offline in the form of text, you have to pay the price set by UISC. All online information and services have to be collected by paying the price. All commercial services have to be procured by paying the price fixed by UISC. However, counseling services for public and private officials will be available free of cost.

Price list of information and services

All information and service price list (free and payable) should be posted on the notice board of UISC