ICT based initiatives for Rural Development in India
Raffan Ali, Shyna Saif · Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research · 2020
ABSTRACT India still breathes in villages, and this becomes a fact when it is taken into account that nearly 68% of Indian population lives in rural areas and mostly dependent on the stressed agrarian economy. But after independence, rural India characterised by severe poverty, illiteracy, lack of health facilities, lack of job opportunities etc. and above all backwardness. The current approach for rural development focuses primarily on poverty alleviation, better livelihood, the arrangement of essential convenience and infrastructural facilities. Rural areas are often seen as poorly informed and the provision of information has often been a key component for rural development. In this context, several e-governance projects have implemented to improve reach, enrich the base, increasing transparency and reduce the cycle of time. For example, the introduction of computer and e-chaupal by the government has taken the rural population in contact with the information technology, up to a certain extent. Hence, ICT can be an easy set of tool that as a springboard for the democratic and sustainable development of rural India. The opportunities for ICT application in rural development are immense, but the government is also facing many challenges. This paper focuses on ICT based initiative for rural development in India and the challenges faced by the government for its implementation.