Strategies for Digital Inclusion: Experience from India

Abstract

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) can be used in diverse applications to accelerate information dissemination to improve efficiency of public services, to increase the transparency and accountability of government administration, to reduce corruption, and to facilitate citizen participation in local governance. Given the fact that few ICT projects in rural areas have scaled up, it seems that the full potential of ICT as an enabler of development is yet to be tapped. This chapter analyzes two projects from India that have overcome these challenges and have scaled up. In moving forward on digital inclusion so far, the focus has been on creating equitable access to Internet and other technologies. Adequate effort has not gone into understanding the context in which these technologies can deliver value by alleviating key problems of development in rural areas. A paradigm shift is needed. Instead of developing a technology and then looking for a context where it can be used, it would be more effective to understand the problems of the poor and identify what technology innovations can help solve any part of the problem. Invariably, technology will not be enough; other components will need to be put together to create a development. Mobile-based delivery, which can overcome some of these constraints, needs to be explored in a major way. In addition, new content useful for rural populations needs to be made available in the public domain.