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Digital Inclusion, Local Government

Chinese prefecture pushes for rural services

By Captain Wang | 11 December 2009

Since the launch of the pilots of “Rural Information 121” （“農信121”）project, the eastern Chinese prefecture of Wenzhou has successfully implemented it in more than 11 townships.

A prefecture is a sub provincial administrative division which usually includes a municipality and a few counties; and a township is an administrative division governing normally a small town with a few surrounding views.

The name 121 signifies one strong information network, two information platforms (rural general information service platform as well as rural management and public service platform) and one team of rural information agents.

Currently there are more than 600 rural household connected to the general information service platform, and more than 200 information agents have been trained.

Through TV set and set-top box, rural residents involved in the project are able to publish or enquire information about supply and demand of agricultural products, technical education on agriculture, news bulletins, household tips as well as remote education.

The rural management and public service platform provides township officials and rural cadres applications such as village finance management, population management and asset management.

“The comprehensive roll out across the entire prefecture will take another two to three years, with an estimated investment of RMB 50 million (US$7.3 million),” reveals Wang Zhenjian, Deputy Director of Wenzhou Municipal Informatisation office. “The biggest challenge has been coordinating different agencies to collaborate and share information resources.”

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