Diminishing the digital divide in India

Abstract

India responded to the Maitland Report’s recommendations to solve the “missing link” by deciding to establish community telephones in all of India’s 650,000 villages, a task that is largely complete. The author argues that, similarly, the benefits of access to the Internet are so great that the government should employ a similar strategy. This should include improving affordability through a competitive environment, encouraging the use of radio technology and upgrading village public telephones to Public Tele Information Centers (PTICs). Obstacles such as illiteracy and lack of computer skills must also be tackled if India is to diminish the digital divide.