Mumbai-based IT major, 3i Infotech announced their intent to open 12,500 stores across remote rural areas of nine states including Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Delhi. Under the brand I-SERV, the stores will benefit 300 to 3,000 households by offering a bouquet of products and services to make rural India sufficient and self reliant, said a top company official.
Commenting on the development, Anirudh Prabhakaran, executive director and president, 3i Infotech said, “In India, rural population houses more than 70 percent and I-SERV is taking this intiative by employing its technological capabilities for bridging the existing urban-rural divide. We being the first Indian company to roll out this initiative at such an enormous level, aim to provide affordable value-added services to the end consumers.”
I- SERV stores will be equipped with the latest IT infrastructure to deliver services related to banking, insurance, financial, education, Telecom, agricultural, e-commerce and online, retail value added services, entertainment and utilities. “3i Infotech would be working with various organisations for I-SERV services. The consumers will be charged Rs.5 per service with each house being offered at least 5 services,” added Prabhakaran.
—IndiaRetailing Bureau
