ICT Enabled Development and Digital Divide : An Indian Perspective

Abstract

The direction and pace of development in ICT have led practically all world economies to recognize the improvement of ICT in catalyzing economic activity, in efficient governance, empowerment of society and bringing about major socio-economic transformations in societies. Developing countries like India, have, therefore, made significant investments in these technologies and integrated the same with the development programmes to gainfully realize the fruits of such developments to their society. However, it is realized that this development has created a divide between the ‘have’ and the ‘have-nots’ in the form of a gap between the ‘technology empowered’ and the ‘technology excluded’ communities. It is therefore catching the attention of governments the world over to device programmes to alleviate this divide, called the digital divide. This paper highlights the digital divide scenario in India, various ICT initiatives undertaken and the major challenges and key solutions in bridging the digital divide in the Indian context.