Optimizing communication channels for inclusive rural development in India

Abstract

The size, distances, poverty, illiteracy, linguistic variety and a host of barriers have prevented India's rural population, largely farmers and local craftsmen, from full inclusion in the mainstream of national growth. This is ironic given that agriculture accounts for around 20 percent of the GDP (Government of India, online). Whether it is beneficial scientific information for crop production, or marketing of agricultural produce and artisan products at the best prices, access to health services and information, or access to financial services, the Indian rural areas have been excluded from the rosy story of growth and development triggered by liberalisation and technological advances. Although the advances in information technology and growth of communications networks have brought immense benefits to Indian society and economy, the rural people have generally been left out. Speaking at a workshop on "Scaling up ICT for Poverty Alleviation in India", at IIM Ahmedabad, Kiran Karnik, noted "the significant contribution made by the IT industry to India's economic growth". However, he pointed that, there is a dark side to this economic development, as the IT expertise has not been exploited up to the potential in the rural areas where it can make a huge difference" (Rathore, 2004). The rural areas suffer from many inequalities: infrastructure in terms of power, education, health services, transport, irrigation, access to banking facilities including credit, and information needs in terms of timely supply of expert advice especially in the context of weather conditions, newly emerging cash- or export-oriented crops, seed selection, use of fertilizers and pesticides, and market prices of produce. Also, in the context of the trend of contract farming, access to future price indexes becomes crucial in taking informed decisions.