“The More you Know the better you grow”. Information
Communication Technology (ICT) provides power to individuals for their
information quest to enable them for taking right action. ICT sector in India is expected to contribute
7.5% of total GDP in 2012*. The sector employs 2.5 million Indian population
directly and over 8 million indirectly, primarily by software services*. The
major part of ICT services in India is catered to export market or urban
population. Rural population is unable to enjoy the ICT service at large, which
is creating a digital divide.
The idea is widely accepted that wider access to and
use of ICT throughout a country will reduce inequalities in income and quality
of life between rural and urban residents is compelling. Various organizations
have implemented this idea and helped rural population in –
improving their access to market information; lowering costs; increase efficiency, competitiveness and market
access; better price realization; helping global
economy through food, education and health;
However such
organizations/interventions are yet unable to reach the masses. 4As - Affordability, Availability, Adaptability,
and Accessibility are the major
challenges to be addressed to make ICT interventions transforming rural masses.
Spending capacity
of rural Population (Affordability) Suitable
infrastructure and technology dissemination (Availability) Utilization of
the technology and breaking the middleman interventions (Adaptability) Education,
Training, connectivity and Language barrier (Accessibility)
These challenges
can’t be addressed in isolation, Government and Organizations has to join
hands. Organization can bring their techno-information expertise and Government
can support them with facilitative policy framework and financial assistance,
which would make these interventions more viable, available and
sustainable.
Rural India is
slowly getting equipped with hands-on power through ICT services. However the
scalability and sustainability of such ICT services remains on the partnering
efficiency of Government and private organizations.
