The Hindu Business Line : Microsoft grants additional Rs 6 cr under Project Jyoti

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New Delhi Feb. 9 Microsoft India has announced an additional grant of Rs 6 crore, under its Unlimited Potential Project, referred to as Project Jyoti in India, to four of the non-governmental organisations that the company has partnered with for the initiative.

"The grant under the company's Jyoti project aims at enabling IT access to communities in the rural and semi-urban India," said Mr Akhtar Badshah, Senior Director and Worldwide Head, Microsoft Corporation.

BENEFICIARIES

The four beneficiaries - Aga Khan Foundation (India), Datamation Foundation Charitable Trust, M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation and Udyan Care have received Rs 1.46 crore, Rs 1.26 crore, Rs 2.88 crore and Rs 40 lakh respectively.

The additional grant that will take the total amount to Rs 35 crore, will be used to expand the current number of Community Technology Learning Centres (CTLC) from the current 500 to 2700 by 2010. "These organisations will utilise the funds to set up additional centres in States such as Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and South India to deliver free or highly subsidised IT education to the people," Mr Badshah said.

Of the 500 current CTLCs, 150 have been operational for more than a year and have created jobs for 750 women through its course. The company aims to create around 11,000 jobs per year within the next five years of the CTLCs existence.

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