CONTRIBUTIONS OF ICTS AND EGOVERNANCE TO RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA

Better access to information empowers the citizens. In recent times ICT is playing a role as a catalyst in rural development. The advancement in ICT can be utilized for providing relevant information and services which in turn can empower rural masses. Many rural e-governance projects, covering various types of services for rural citizens, have yielded significant positive gains demonstrating the potential of such drives in accelerating rural development. However, there are some challenges in providing e - delivery of services in the rural areas that need to be overcome. This paper highlights some of the significant rural e-governance drives in India and also discusses the issues in the implementation of such drives on the ground, and makes suggestions to improve their effectiveness