ICT in Rural Development: An Overview

The 21st century is the age of Information and Communication Technology and ICT plays a vital role in political, economic and socio-cultural development of a country. ICT is of immense significance in our lives. It has become a powerful tool towards empowering rural masses by way of access to information related to education, banking, employment, agriculture, governmental resources and services. However, there are certain sections of society which are deprived of its usage. This has led to what is called ‘digital divide’. There have been attempts across countries to reduce this digital divide and make the marginalized sections, especially the rural masses, have access to ICT. In addition to providing opportunities to rural masses, ICT also faces some challenges in its implementation. These challenges are difficult yet manageable. In view of the opportunities and challenges mentioned, there is a need for interaction between the private and the public sectors to optimally utilize their respective expertise and abilities in the area of rural development. This book attempts to bring out the role of ICT in various facets of rural development. While doing so, it also brings out the opportunities and challenges of its application in rural development. The book comprises two sections. Section-I is an overview of the role of ICT in rural development. Section–II deals with various country experiences of the utility, opportunities and challenges of ICT in rural development.