The then Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha's budget helped simplify the rules by allowing duty-free import of second-hand computers donated by patrons abroad to schools run by the government and local self-government bodies. But the paperwork required by the Commerce Ministry's Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) threatens to derail the project entirely.

"It took us eight months of running around to obtain permission to import the first consignment ofcomputers," says Ricky Noronha, one of the project's coordinators. A shipload of 20 computers donated by an American fast-food company will reach Goa in a week's time.

The first batch of computers destined for the Academy for Community Development and International Living (ACDIL) school have been routed through a government institution in keeping with the provisions of the law. "I had to even contact the Prime Minister's Office to clear the consignment," says painter Subodh Kerkar, director, ACDIL school. According to him, it would not be possible for the project's promoters to obtain such clearances for each and every school in the State.

But attempts are being made to make the best of a bad bargain. "We are talking to the Chief Minister and other government officials in the State so that at least government-run schools can be provided with computers," says Amit Saxena, who is working on the project full time. According to Darryl Martyris, a US-based management consultant, there are several companies inthe US that are willing to donate computers for the Indian project. "I have incorporated a non-profit organisation, Technology Support Center, to allow tax breaks for companies donating computers," says Martyris.

Among the companies roped in by GoaNet include MacDonalds and AT&T, which are willing to donate "dozens of used PCs", Martyris says.

While nearly half the 400-odd schools in Goa have already been equipped with computers, these are barely enough to cater to the needs of students. Even though the State Government has introduced computer education in schools, even the luckier institutions have to make do with as little as 10 computers for a school of 500 students. "We need to have at least one computer for two or three students," Kerkar points out.

Obtaining the required software poses another major problem. "At present, all the computers in schools are running on pirated software," says Noronha, who is providing the software aspect of the project. According to him, Microsoft Corporation refusedto extend its community development programme (which provides software at low rates to schools in the US) to India. What is worse, older computers like the 386 machines do not support the free Linux operating systems with graphical interface necessary for training young students.

"When so much money is required to buy new hardware how can we request people to donate for sofware," asks Noronha.