Digital Maturity: Perceiving the Digital-Panopticon [Last Word]
Christine Perakslis · IEEE Technology and Society Magazine · 2017
India's government is promoting numerous initiatives with the goal of transforming India into a digitally-empowered society. Over 100 smart cities are being planned. By 2020, India is expected to be the second largest nation of connected consumers. By 2025, India is likely to have 850 million users online. Rural communities, which account for two-thirds of India's population, are forecast to represent the most growth in connectivity. By 2020, rural users are likely to constitute over 50% of all connected consumers. For the 300 million people without electricity, the government is promising solar-power and battery banks to achieve electrification for all. Entrepreneurs, such as Agritech startups, are being empowered by the government to equip rural communities with such farmer-friendly technologies as low-cost, hand-held sensors to assess soil health, and drones to assess crops. The strategy is to double the incomes of farmers by 2022. As rural communities have opportunities to improve their living conditions and connect to the world, the social impact of technology will continue to transform society positively.