Now, Ambani looks to disrupt e-commerce

It's time for Reliance Jio version 2.0. After reaching out to individual mobile subscribers across the country, Jio will now be targeting small retailers to help do business, manage suppliers and connect with customers using Jio's digital platform, said Reliance Group head Mukesh Ambani.

Cloud-based processes and applications, all goods and services tax (GST) complaint, would be developed to help even small retailers do businesses like e-commerce firms across the country, he said.

"We want to empower small retailers and shops with digital tools that would help them enjoy the benefit of connecting with the entire chain of suppliers and customers. These tools will help them do their business more productively, grow faster improve supply chain efficiencies and increase customer satisfaction. A state of art cloud-based point of sales solution will enable billing, payments, supplier management and loyalty which is full GST complaint. This will bring efficiency in the entire eco-system comprising of brands, distributors, merchants and consumers," Ambani said while addressing Bengal Global Business Summit.

Jio would help create relevant sets of digital tools and would then roll them out for small shops and retailers.

A pilot project would be implemented in West Bengal and would then be taken across India over the next five years, he said.

Jio would also help rural entrepreneurs take advantage of its 4G digital network to transform the way they have been doing business and offer fee-based services.

"Reliance is setting up digital service centres across India to bring government-to-citizen services within easy reach of every citizen particularly in the rural hinterland. It will give birth to digital entrepreneurs in villages and small towns to support e-commerce, agriculture as well as small and medium enterprises. It will create employment and wealth generating opportunities particularly in the rural areas," Ambani said, adding that a pilot project would also be undertaken initially in five districts of Bengal, and based on its learnings, it would be scaled up.

Jio would essentially rework the concept of common services centre (CSC) promoted by the government about a decade back.

Such rural centres run by private sector players tried to tap government's initiative to set up IT-enabled service centres at the village level for people to access e-governance services.

But with e-governance not picking up as expected, several companies promoting such nation-wide network of CSCs suffered losses with some reworking their business models trying to cash in on the consumption boom in the rural areas.

"Our investment philosophy has a clear goal: to empower everybody in the march of development especially those who have been left behind. For Reliance, Jio is not just another business. It is a mission to transform India. Jio will give seamless high-quality digital connectivity unmatched anywhere else in the world," he said.

Beyond businesses, Jio is trying to improve the quality of education and healthcare, Ambani said.

"Jio has facilitated the spread of education connecting over 200 universities and premier institutions across the state (of West Bengal). Jio has enabled healthcare too, connecting more than 100 hospitals including all majors ones in Kolkata and districts to light up the lives of the people, to provide a large number of newer livelihood opportunities, to empower and enable every citizen connecting them to each other and the world," he said.

To connect every city, town and village, beyond its digital network, Jio needs hardware support.

And in a big push to Make In India initiative, the 4G phones and other hardwares like set-top boxes would be manufactured right here in India in association with partners.

Currently, Jio reportedly sources a big chunk of its 4G phones from Taiwan.

"Jio shall be working with multiple partners to explore setting up next generation state of the art electronic manufacturing facilities and make West Bengal the hub for innovations and high-tech technologies consumer devices such as mobile phones, set up boxes and other devices."

SMALL IS BIG

• RJio would help create relevant sets of digital tools and roll them out for small retailers
   
• It will help rural entrepreneursto benefit from its 4G network
   
• A pilot project would be implemented in West Bengal