Assessing the Impact of Education, Health and Road Network Infrastructure on Information and Communication Technology Penetration in Rural West Bengal

Abstract

This study examines the impact of infrastructure, more specifically education, health, and road network infrastructure, on information and communication technology (ICT) penetration in the districts of West Bengal. Besides, the study also investigates the spatial distribution of infrastructure and ICT in the districts of West Bengal. The whole research is based on primary and secondary data. Data have been collected from the District Census and District Statistical Handbooks. The principal component analysis and correlation coefficient techniques are used to assess the impact. The study reveals that the degree of correlation between infrastructure and ICT variables is medium to high, except in some cases. As the Infrastructure Index increases, the ICT index also tends to increase. It is found that a moderate positive relationship (r = 0.503) was found between the infrastructure index and the ICT index. Significant policy regarding basic infrastructure services is of utmost necessity for ICT diffusion within the study region.