AP Online recorded 11,000 transactions per month in 2002, its first year of operations. Today that number is closer to 600,000. This joint venture between TCS and the Andhra Pradesh government makes available online or at convenient access points, services that normally give citizens a great deal of bother. For a nominal fee, you can pay telephone bills, requisition for birth certificates, even buy pin numbers for pre-paid mobile phone cards. When it began, it was a first in India. Even now some of its services like the option of bill collection from residences are pioneering.

Always There For You: TCS’ Srinivas M.R. with his team

What makes AP Online truly innovative is its delivery model, through kiosks and other automated devices. Its latest offering is a bill payment service through hand-held devices. AP Online franchisees have been given a hand-held device with Net connectivity. With this they can connect to various government departments. So, if it is the water bill, they can connect to the waterworks department, check the usage, generate a bill, and collect the payment, all at the customer’s doorstep.

Moreover, given that AP Online works through franchisees, it also provides employment. All someone needs to be an AP Online franchisee is a desktop with Internet connectivity and a printer; all the applications that drive the complex transactions sit on AP Online’s servers (the project is managed by Bodgari Balakishore). Today there are 1,600 franchise kiosks all over AP. The immediate goal is to take this number up to 2,500.

The idea was the brainchild of the Chandrababu Naidu administration. The Y.S.R. Reddy government has kept it going.

The JV generates revenues from transaction fees, application development charges from government departments, etc., though it is likely to break even in 2009.

While profits are important, neither partner believes that it’s the primary objective. TCS’ Srinivas M.R., who handles AP Online with a team of 31, says TCS got into this venture to fulfil its commitment to corporate social responsibility.