"This is a small step towards a technological revolution," Y C Deveshwar, chairman of ITC Ltd, said. "This is an effort to link farmers to the globalised economy. There are no definite targets at the moment but we expect the site to evolve. We are investing Rs 100 million in this venture and shall give it a full-blooded trial," Deveshwar added.

However, with more than 71,000 villages in Madhya Pradesh and the cost of equipping a village with computers placed at Rs 1 lakh, the investment requirements are rather huge.

The state government, meanwhile, is willing to collaborate on the project. "We are prepared to go along with ITC in this project. We want that there should be a tripartite participation in harnessing information technology for the masses. The government, the private sector and the people have to come together," chief minister Digvijay Singh said.

He suggested that funds from the prime minister's Rozgar Yojana be made available to individuals to set up computer centres.

Singh pointed out that the federal government's shifting policy on import duty for edible oils had created problems for soyabean farmers as well as the processing industry. "The biggest problem is poor productivity of the soya crop. Unless we increase the average yield per hectare our produce will not become competitive in the global market," he said.

Deveshwar also spoke about developing websites on the lines of www.soyachaupal.com for wheat and rice growing farmers. "We shall reach out to other states as well," he added. The ITC chairman said that while there was no revenue model in place at the moment, an IT link connecting farmers to the rest of the world had endless possibilities. "There is no use speculating on it, but we feel that it has great potential including e-commerce," he added.

Madhya Pradesh produces nearly 80 per cent of India's soyabean output while ITC, which is mainly into cigarette manufacturing and hotels, is a major player in the soya-processing industry.

IANS