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Role of Union Information and Service Centre in Community Development

N. Shahnewaz
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh

M. E. Haque
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh

M. S. I. Afrad
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh

M. Z. Hoque
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The purpose of the present study was to assess the role of Union Information and Service Centre (UISC) in community development. The study was conducted in Akcha union of Thakurgoan sadar upazila under Thakurgoan district. A total of 110 people who were already been taken services from UISC was selected as sample following random sampling technique. Data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire during 23 March to 28 June 2014. Collected data were compiled, coded, analyzed and interpreted as per objectives of the study. Findings indicated that both male and female get services from UISC. Printing, photocopy, mobile banking, computer compose and internet browsing were the top five services received by the respondents. Majority of the respondents were found agreed that UISC played a positive role in all four selected aspects (education, inter-personal relationship, women empowerment and youth development) of community development. Specifically, respondents got services on public examination result, government circular notice, computer training, information on job market and keeping contact with friend and relatives etc. Respondents got maximum service for educational development followed by youth development, women empowerment and inter-personal relationship. Load shedding, slow speed of internet, inadequate equipment’s are identified as the major problems in getting services from UISC. The services of UISC at doorsteps of local people save their time, money and energy.

Keywords: Community Development, ICT, UISC

Location: Akcha union of Thakurgoan sadar upazila under Thakurgoan district

Start Date: 23-03-2014

End Date: 28-06-2014

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Non-commodity: Social status

Objectives:

To explore the present activities & status of ( Union Information and Service Centre ) UISC;
To ascertain the role of UISC in community development

Methodology:

The study was conducted in Akcha union of Thakurgoan sadar upazila under Thakurgoan district. All the service receivers (750) of UISC of Akcha union under Thakurgoan sadar upazila were the population of the study. A list of service receivers was taken from UISC of Akcha union. From that list 110 service receivers were selected as sample respondents following the simple random sampling technique. Data were collected by using pre-designed interview schedule from 23 March 2014 to 28 June 2014. Respondents received 20 different types of services from UISC of Akcha union. Each respondent was asked to check his/her responses against twenty different services of UISC in a five-point rating scale; ‘daily use’, ‘weekly use’, ‘monthly use’, ‘yearly use’ and ‘never’ and corresponding assigned weights for each response were 4, 3, 2, 1 and 0 respectively. Activities score of a respondent could range from 0 to 80, while ‘0’ indicating ‘no activity’ and ‘80’ indicating ‘highest level of activity’. For a better understanding regarding to the particular services received by the respondents, an Activity Index (AI) was computed. The AI was calculated by multiplying the frequency counts of each of the services with its corresponding weights such as ‘4’ for ‘daily use’, ‘3’ for ‘weekly use’, ‘2’ for ‘monthly’ use, ‘1’ for ‘yearly’ use and ‘0’ for ‘never’. By adding all these values of each cell together, the score of AI was calculated. AI= (Ad × 4 + Aw × 3 + Am × 2 + Ay × 1 + An × 0) (1) Where, AI= Activity Index, Ad= Daily use, Aw= Weekly use, Am= Monthly use, Ay= Yearly use, An= Never use To measure role of UISC towards community development, a 5-point Likert type scale ranging from ‘1’ as ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘5’ as ‘strongly agree’ used for the measurement. The respondents were asked to rate 20 statements based upon a five-point Likert type scale on four aspects which is associated with community development. These aspects were development in case of education, development in case of inter-personal relationship, development in case of women empowerment and development in case of youth. For a better understanding regarding to the particular community development a Development Index (DI) was computed. The DI was calculated by multiplying the frequency counts of each of the services with its corresponding weights such as ‘5’ for ‘strongly agree’, ‘4’ for ‘agree’, ‘3’ for ‘undecided’, ‘2’ for ‘disagree’ and ‘1’ for ‘strongly disagree’. By adding all these values of each cell together, the score of DI was calculated. After collection of data, all the information contained in the interview schedule was edited before leaving a respondent. All the collected data were then checked and cross checked, compiled, coded and entered into the computer for analysis and interpretation using SPSS program. Qualitative data were converted into quantitative form by means of suitable scoring. Data were presented mostly in tabular forms. Statistical measures like number, percentage, range, mean and standard deviation were calculated for describing the data.

Source of Information: American Journal of Computation, Communication and Control, 2015; 2(5): 40-47, ISSN: 2375-3943

Article Link (Online Journal): http://www.aascit.org/journal/archive2?journalId=901&paperId=3761

Funding Source:

1.

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Irrespective of sex, age, education, family size, etc. all level of people got services in 20 different areas of community development from UISC except agricultural related information. Printing, photocopy, mobile banking, computer compose and internet browsing were the major services frequently received by the respondent from union information and service centre. A vast majority of people (4664) got service from a single UISC in a year. On the other hand, majority of the respondents were found agree with that UISC has positive role in all four selected aspects of community development. Hence it may be concluded that UISC had significant role in community development. Respondents got maximum service for educational development followed by youth development, women empowerment and inter-personal relationship. Necessary steps should be taken to deliver useful information to the farmers in the form of crop care and animal husbandry, fertilizer and feedstock inputs, droughts mitigation, pest control, irrigation, weather forecasting, seed sourcing and market prices. Government should arrange more seminars, conference, workshops and more campaign to promote awareness of UISC. This awareness program should focus on the role of UISC in reducing digital gape. It is very important to run UISC smoothly across the country. Government should take responsibilities to monitor, give logistic support, formulate policy and coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Knowledge Management: Journal