A NEW cooperative has set itself the target of putting a computer in every Indian home. Spearheaded by the Malayalee community, IT Services Cooperative will provide computers to needy Indian families on easy terms and get family members to attend computer classes.

Businessman Gopinath Pillai, one of the movers behind the project, said the cooperative will buy used computers, upgrade them and sell them for about $600 to $700 each, less than a third of what a new one would normally cost.

"Today, IT knowledge is the key to getting ahead," he said. "Indian students who under-perform because they cannot relate to their teachers or the learning environment may improve with the help of a computer."

The cooperative aims to put computers in 14,000 needy Indian households over the first five years. It intends to reach 500 households in the first year.

SINDA, which has pledged $10,000 to become the cooperative's first institutional member, will identify the needy families. These families can pay their computers in instalments. Mr Gopinath described the cooperative as "a gift from the Malayalees to the rest of the Indian community.

It will be launched at the community's Onam festival celebration dinner at the People's Association grounds on Sunday. The computer, however, comes with strings attached. Key family members who are computer illiterate will be required to attend basic training with existing computer training agencies at subsidised rates.

"We don't want the computer to end up like a white elephant in the house," said Mr Viswa Sadasivan, an executive committee member of SINDA who runs a media business. "But since the schools are equipped with computer laboratories, we expect to see more adults benefiting from the IT training."

The cooperative has a protem committee comprising Mr Pillai, Mr Sadasivan, and three other Malayalee: Singapore National Cooperatives Federation's chief executive K.T. Samuel, lawyer Gopalan Raman and international IT firm consultant Harish Pillay.

Memberships open to all Singaporeans and permanent residents at $1 per share. The cooperative is exploring ways to generate operating income, like setting up shop to sell software or computers later.

The 16,000-strong Malayalee community is made up of Indian Singaporeans with roots in the south-western state of Kerala in India. The public can call the SINDA helpline on 1800-295 4554 for more information on the cooperative.