The mission of Archana G. Gulati, joint administrator (deputy director-general), finance, Universal Service Obligation (USO) Fund, is to bridge the digital divide in the country…

IAS officer Archana G. Gulati believes that the telecom sector stands out as a celebrated example of the success of India’s economic reforms, in conjunction with dynamic and enterprising industry participants. While proud of the sector, she realises that the major challenge ahead lies in the areas of rural penetration and the growth of broadband.

“The USO Fund has a major role to play in bridging the digital divide. We are working towards universal availability of mobile services and broadband connectivity,” she says.

As joint administrator (deputy director-general), finance, USO Fund, in the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), she says that she hopes to contribute effectively to this effort. The USO Fund, in its attempt to bridge the digital divide, has already implemented schemes for village public telephones, rural community phones, rural household phones, and shared mobile infrastructure and services.

Gulati has a keen interest in e-governance and a firm believer in the potential of information and communications technology (ICT) to act as a powerful developmental tool, a topic on which she has written several articles.

She possesses several degrees: one in economics from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University, another in general law, an MBA from IGNOU, and an M.Sc. in defence and strategic studies from Madras University. She is now close to completing a master’s in international telecom and IT law. A member of the 1989 batch of the Indian P&T Accounts and Finance Service, Gulati has worked in various posts in DoT, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited, and has served in the Northeast.

The last was a taxing assignment because she had only a skeleton staff and had to work against odds to set up a new office. “I recall that the women staff we had in the Northeast were particularly efficient and hard-working. I like this region for the respect and freedom that their women enjoy. The unusual and high- security atmosphere notwithstanding, it was a memorable assignment.”

As her husband is an army officer, Gulati has had to cope with frequent transfers. Through all these, her prime aim has been to keep the family together. “It was always very challenging but it also made life interesting. Living and working in different parts of the country have given me a fair insight into the developmental challenges we face,” she says.

Gulati’s job is to provide advice on the financial aspects of the administration of the USO Fund including subsidy modelling, benchmarking, scheme implementation subsidy disbursement and verification.

“Our strength lies in the tremendous scope that we have by way of possible USO Fund interventions. It is my personal view that we could focus more on the long-term impact of our schemes in terms of avoidance of market distortions,” she says.

On challenges in telecom, she says: “I foresee a tremendous increase in data usage, with both the mobile phone and computing devices functioning as convergent end-user devices,” she says. “There is a sizeable latent demand for broadband and broadband-enabled services that is just waiting to be tapped.”

In the recent past, the USO Fund has tackled the issues that stand in the way of universal rural coverage and connectivity. For example, it launched a pilot scheme to support solar and solar-wind hybrid installations to power 28 selected USO Fund Rural Mobile Infrastructure sites in different states.

Gulati says the learnings from these pilots will help the fund design schemes for large-scale support for the use of renewable energy in the provision of rural telecommunication services.

“Another noteworthy initiative,” she says, “is Sanchar Shakti, which comprises projects aimed at improving access to ICT and ICT-enabled livelihood skills for women’s self-help groups in rural India. We hope to enrich the lives of the women who are provided with ICT connectivity, information, skills and livelihoods,” Gulati says.

At present, MoUs have been signed under this programme for “proof of concept” of nine mobile value-added services (MVAS) pilot projects. Some of these projects focus on breaking the dependence on intermediaries when it comes to access to input and final product markets for self-help groups engaged in cottage industries. All the projects attempt to provide highly customised MVAS bundles ideally suited to local conditions and the activities of the targeted self-help groups. These groups themselves are engaged in multifarious activities ranging from textiles, bee-keeping and handicrafts to agriculture and livestock rearing. The topics covered under these MVAS bundles are weather information, crop/livestock diseases, market prices, training courses, literacy, and child and maternal health.

The current projects cover about 20,000 self-help group members in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Puducherry.

Gulati says that the fund is also proposing a pilot project scheme for access to ICT and ICT-enabled services for disabled people in rural India. “Under this programme, it is proposed to invite applications for three categories of pilot projects – dedicated ICT centres with assistive technologies in rural areas, educational, rehabilitation and vocational training centres for people with disabilities, and accessible public access points in villages.

“We hope this will contribute to the economic empowerment of people with disabilities. We also hope that with successful demonstration of the positive impact and utility of accessible ICT to both users and service providers, the scheme will give an impetus to the development of technologies and relevant content in regional languages for disabled people in rural areas,” she says.

In terms of her work style, Gulati says her strength probably lies in her ability to work very hard and in the fact that she enjoys her work. In this, she takes after her father, an IRAS officer who loved his job and excelled in it. “I believe I am creative and innovative, and have not lost that burning desire to serve the nation that every civil service aspirant speaks of – at least during the civil services interview.”

Gulati believes that a person’s management style has to adapt to the circumstances, the nature of the job and the team. Her style is to lead by example and avoid micro-managing unless compelled to do so. “I prefer to set goals, discuss strategies and undertake periodic reviews. But I am a hands-on manager where the situation so demands,” she says.

Her weakness, if it can be called that, is her tendency to call a spade a spade. But, as she jokes, she is “working on it”.

A typical day at work for Gulati is spent setting and reviewing targets at the beginning of the day, working to achieve them with her team and coping with whatever crisis breaks out.

At home, she spends her spare time reading and watching movies, especially the classics. She has always enjoyed exploring different cultures and learning new languages. Gardening and birdwatching are other interests that she has pursued since childhood.

Now that her only child is grown up and independent, working long hours is no longer the issue it used to be, but even now, she likes to maintain a sensible work-life balance.