Pattern of Digital Divide and Convergence in Access to ICT Facilities among the Indian States

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 37-51
Author(s):  
Tanushree Agarwal ◽  
Prasant Kumar Panda
Keyword(s):  
Digital Divide ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
High Income ◽  
Indian States ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Economic Developments

Information and communication technology (ICT) such as Internet, mobile phones, computers and related network interfaces facilitate promotion of economic growth by improving the allocation and productivity of labour and capital, and also by promoting trade and competition in market. But these regional developments led by ICT technologies are not realised if there is a digital divide. In India, uneven digital developments may lead to uneven economic developments. Unless ICT developments grow faster in low-income states, they cannot catch up with high-income states, economically. In this context, this article aims to analyse the changing pattern of the digital divide and empirically examines the convergence in access to ICT facilities across the Indian states. The secondary data for 15 major states of India is used for the time period 2008–17 by considering three ICT variables, namely, telephone users, mobile phone users and Internet users per 100 populations. Principal component analysis (PCA) is used to construct ICT access index. With PCA scores, the Indian states are ranked at two data points and convergence is verified by using sigma and beta convergence techniques. Findings suggest that there is an uneven access to ICT facilities across the Indian states. In the last decade, the low-income states are growing on a better pace than the high-income states in providing access to facilities such as telephone and mobile phones. However, there is evidence of the divergence in the use of Internet facilities. So the governments’ attention in improving these facilities in the low-income states, particularly in rural areas and lagging districts, is important. Special policies and schemes need to be devised to promote the access of Internet services in the lagging states.

scholarly journals ANALISIS KONSUMSI PANGAN TINGKAT RUMAH TANGGA DI PROPINSI LAMPUNG

Agro Ekonomi ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Meliyanah Meliyanah ◽  
Suhatmini Hardyastuti ◽  
Djuwari Djuwari
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Household Consumption ◽  
Income Level ◽  
High Income ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Rural And Urban Areas ◽  
Rural And Urban

This research diamed to: 1) knowing the selft-price elasticity, cross-price elasticity and income elasticity of consumption per food item on household level according to location and income level; and 2) knowing the reation between level of income and food consumption on household level according to location and income level.This research used data from SUSENAS of Lmapung Province in 2002 with number of sample of 2091 household, which being differed between rural and urban areas based on low, middle, and high level of income. The data analysis used tobit model and sensored regression.The result showed that: 1) the demand of rice and beeh for household consumption in every level of income in rural and urban areas were inelastic; 2) Coen only been consumed by low income level household in rural areas and the demand was inelastic; 3) the demand of cassava for household consumption on low income level in urban area was elastic, While in middle income level, high income level and every level of income in rural area, cassava demand was inelastic. Cassava was considered as inferior goods; 4) The demand of fish for household consumption an every level of income in rural and urban areas was elastic. Household in rural area on every level of income and in urban areas on middle and high income level consider fish as a main necessity. While on low income level  household in urban areas, it was considered as classy/exclusive good; 5) the demand of chicken; for household in rural areas on middle and high income level was inelastic. When in rural low income level and urban middle and high income level, was inelastic chicken meat was considend as classy/exclusive good the rural low income level household; 6) egg demand for household consumption in rural areas on every level of income was inelastic, while in urban area it was elastic for every level income; 7) the rural and urban household on every level of income considered rice as the stpale food; 8) Household in rural and urban areas on middle and high level of income considered beef as main necessity; 9) On household with middle income level in rural areas, egg was considere as inferior good; while an low income level in urban areas, egg was considere as expensive good.

scholarly journals Developing indicators of age-friendly neighbourhood environments for urban and rural communities across 20 low-, middle-, and high-income countries

2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily J. Rugel ◽  
Clara K. Chow ◽  
Daniel J. Corsi ◽  
Perry Hystad ◽  
Sumathy Rangarajan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
High Income ◽  
Community Level ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
World Health ◽  
Mixed Data ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Traffic Lights

Abstract Background By 2050, the global population of adults 60 + will reach 2.1 billion, surging fastest in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) has developed indicators of age-friendly urban environments, but these criteria have been challenging to apply in rural areas and LMIC. This study fills this gap by adapting the WHO indicators to such settings and assessing variation in their availability by community-level urbanness and country-level income. Methods We used data from the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study’s environmental-assessment tools, which integrated systematic social observation and ecometrics to reliably capture community-level environmental features associated with cardiovascular-disease risk factors. The results of a scoping review guided selection of 18 individual indicators across six distinct domains, with data available for 496 communities in 20 countries, including 382 communities (77%) in LMIC. Finally, we used both factor analysis of mixed data (FAMD) and multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) approaches to describe relationships between indicators and domains, as well as detailing the extent to which these relationships held true within groups defined by urbanness and income. Results Together, the results of the FAMD and MTMM approaches indicated substantial variation in the relationship of individual indicators to each other and to broader domains, arguing against the development of an overall score and extending prior evidence demonstrating the need to adapt the WHO framework to the local context. Communities in high-income countries generally ranked higher across the set of indicators, but regular connections to neighbouring towns via bus (95%) and train access (76%) were most common in low-income countries. The greatest amount of variation by urbanness was seen in the number of streetscape-greenery elements (33 such elements in rural areas vs. 55 in urban), presence of traffic lights (18% vs. 67%), and home-internet availability (25% vs. 54%). Conclusions This study indicates the extent to which environmental supports for healthy ageing may be less readily available to older adults residing in rural areas and LMIC and augments calls to tailor WHO’s existing indicators to a broader range of communities in order to achieve a critical aspect of distributional equity in an ageing world.

scholarly journals Association between commensality with depression and suicidal ideation of Korean adults: the sixth and seventh Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2013, 2015, 2017

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoon Hee Son ◽  
Sarah Soyeon Oh ◽  
Sung-In Jang ◽  
Eun-Cheol Park ◽  
So-Hee Park
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
National Health ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Subgroup Analysis ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
High Income ◽  
Korean Adults ◽  
Income Groups ◽  
The City

Abstract Objectives This study investigated whether commensality (eating a meal with others) is associated with mental health (depression, suicidal ideation) in Korean adults over 19 years old. Methods Our study employed data from the sixth and seventh Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys (KNHANES) for 2013, 2015, and 2017. The study population consisted of 14,125 Korean adults (5854 men and 8271 women). In this cross-sectional study, data were analyzed with the Rao-Scott chi-square test and multiple logistic regression to evaluate the association between commensality(0[includes skipping meals] to 3 times eating meals together) and both depression and suicidal ideation using select questions from the Mental Health Survey. By setting socioeconomic factors, health conditions, and behavioral factors as confounders, we conducted a subgroup analysis to reveal the effect on depression and suicidal ideation commensality. Results Commensality was significantly associated with depression and suicidal ideation (p < 0.05). In both sexes, people who ate fewer meals together had poorer mental health. In a subgroup analysis, we revealed greater odds of developing depression in men when living in rural areas and belonging to low-income groups. In contrast, greater odds of suicidal ideation in men who ate alone when living in the city and belonging to high-income groups. On the other hand, Women in every region had greater odds of being depressed if they ate alone. And greater odds of suicidal ideation in women who ate alone when living in the city and belonging to medium-high income groups. Conclusions Our analysis confirmed that Korean adults with lower chance of commensality had greater risk of developing depression and suicidal ideation. And it could be affected by individuals’ various backgrounds including socioeconomic status. As a result, to help people with depression and prevent a suicidal attempt, this study will be baseline research for social workers, educators and also policy developers to be aware of the importance of eating together.

Global Digital Divide

2011 ◽  
pp. 1664-1670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nir Kshetri ◽  
Nikhilesh Dholakia
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Low Income ◽  
High Income ◽  
Income Country ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Global Trade ◽  
Technology Products ◽  
Global Digital Divide ◽  
Telecommunications Services

Despite rapidly falling costs of hardware, software and telecommunications services, a wide gap persists between rich and poor nations in terms of their capabilities of accessing, delivering, and exchanging information in digital forms (Carter and Grieco, 2000). According to a report published by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in 2006, a person in a high-income country was more than 22 times likely to use the Internet than someone in a low-income country (UNCTAD, 2006). The ratios were 29 times for mobile phones and 21 times for fixed phones. An estimate suggested that more than 95% of e-commerce transactions in 2003 were industrialized countries (Tedeschi, 2003). Another estimate suggested that 99.9% of business-to-consumer e-commerce in 2003 took place in the developed regions of North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific (Computer Economics, 2000). This is a form of commercial divide (UN Chronicle, 2003). Another estimate suggests that 80 percent of the global trade in high technology products originates from Europe, the U.S., and Japan (Bowonder, 2001) and 92 % of the patents granted in the world are owned by the members of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (Archibugi and Iammarino, 2000). Whereas high-income countries have income 63 times that of low-income countries, the respective ratios are 97 for PCs, 133 for mobile phones, and over 2,100 for Internet hosts (Dholakia and Kshetri, 2003). While reliable data on e-commerce transactions are not available, the ratio is likely to be even higher for e-commerce transactions since e-commerce is virtually non-existent in many developing countries. The pattern indicates that the gap between developed and developing countries is wider for more recent technologies such as PC, mobile phone, and the Internet than for technologies which were introduced earlier. This article provides an assessment of three computer networks that redefine the conventional definition of market value by allowing developing nations and communities (Brooks, 2001) reap the benefits of modern ICTs: Global Trade Point Network (GTPNet) and Little Intelligent Communities (LINCOS).

Mobile Phones in Haematology

2015 ◽  
pp. 851-859
Author(s):  
Richard McLean ◽  
Susan Gane
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Disease Diagnosis ◽  
Healthcare Management ◽  
Application Technology ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Voice Transmission ◽  
Healthcare Environments ◽  
Life Threatening

The haematology laboratory provides an important service to clinical areas in terms of analysing blood samples for disease diagnosis, monitoring, and screening. Communication of urgent results is of paramount importance for effective healthcare management and verbal communication of results is often required to relay urgent information or life threatening results to a clinician. As mobile phones have progressed beyond the capability of voice transmission to now incorporate cameras, multimedia messaging, and email, the possibility to expand its use in haematology has diversified. Challenges to the haematology laboratory may present in low income healthcare environments or rural areas with limited resources and research has been focused on addressing these challenges. Mobile application technology for smartphones has opened up the potential for increased development of medical applications which could assist communication, diagnosis, and education within the field of haematology.

scholarly journals Living standards shape individual attitudes on genetically modified food around the world

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Levi
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Agricultural Biotechnology ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Genetically Modified Crops ◽  
High Income ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Living Standard ◽  
Genetically Modified Food

Agricultural biotechnology can help to sustainably intensify food production, but negative public opinion hinders the deployment of genetically modified crops and livestock. Previous research shows negative consumer attitudes in the Global North to be primarily driven by limited trust and religiosity, but public opinion in the Global South remains largely unexplored. Here, analyzing individual attitudes across 142 countries with a random forest model, I show that people in low-income countries are significantly more positive towards genetically modified food than those living in high-income countries. Globally, individual attitudes are primarily determined by living standard, agricultural output, and prevalence of undernourishment. Country income levels also moderate how demographic characteristics predict attitudes on bioengineered food. Highly educated urban men are most optimistic about agricultural biotechnology in high-income countries, while women, individuals living in rural areas, and those with little education are the most hopeful demographic in low-income countries. These results indicate that individual views are largely determined by the societal benefits expected from agricultural biotechnology and suggest that the conditions for further deregulation of genetically modified food are most favorable in low-income countries.

Challenges Faced by B.P.L. Population in Availing Public Healthcare – Analysing Government Initiatives, Technology and Cultural Barriers in Aligarh District, U.P

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Fahad Afzal ◽  
P.S. Raychaudhuri ◽  
Mohd Atif Afzal ◽  
Afaq Amir Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Uttar Pradesh ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Public Healthcare ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Low Income Population

Public healthcare and government health initiative have always been in question regarding their availability, efficiency, and quality. This matter most for the poor section of society who have to go through various hurdles to avail the basic treatment, besides financial problems. The aim of this survey study was to analyze the present scenario of public healthcare system and the challenges in availing public healthcare faced by BPL (Below Poverty Line) and low-income population of Uttar Pradesh. A cross-sectional survey (direct interview) of 104 respondents was conducted in March 2021. Thematic analysis of generated qualitative data was done using ATLAS.ti (version 9.0.15). The quantitative data was analyzed by using SPSS (version 22.0.0.0). The respondents were from 2 rural areas near the Aligarh district in UP. The secondary data from published research articles and government sources were also analyzed. Analysis of data revealed there are various challenges faced by low-income population while availing public healthcare services. The nature of challenges has a considerable variation, from lack of information to documents’ unavailability, from technical issues in government schemes to cultural pressure. Data analysis revealed, the majority of respondents (59%) faced one or more types of challenges during treatment from public health facilities. Awareness level is identified as a significant problem among respondents. Analysis of secondary data and literature review revealed uneven resource allocation and discrepancies in government initiatives toward UHC (Universal Health Coverage). Results indicated the contrasting nature of healthcare in Uttar Pradesh. Data analysis revealed the disparity of ‘average OOP travelling expenditure’ for male and female. The correlation analysis revealed that there is negative correlation (y = -0.1377x + 11.119) of ‘age of respondent’ and ‘average satisfaction from public health service’ (r = -0.911; R² = 0.8301). This research article provides the evidence that there exists a communication gap between policymakers and end-users (BPL & low-income section). This article underscored some technical flaw in the UHC policies that act as a barrier for low socio economic and BPL population. This article suggests strategies to control various identified challenges.

Dynamics of agricultural growth and diversification in Eastern India

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-120
Author(s):  
Ghanshyam Pandey ◽  
Seema Kumari
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
The State ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Primary Study ◽  
Eastern India ◽  
Road Density ◽  
Indian States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Agricultural Growth

PurposeIn low-income economies agriculture plays an important role in promoting economic growth and reducing poverty. Agricultural growth achieved through diversification toward the higher value crops enhance income and mitigate risk. The present study focuses on one of the eastern Indian states namely “Jharkhand”; where agriculture is the mainstay for the 80% of its rural population. The state per-capita income is below the national average; however, it has registered an impressive growth, especially in the agriculture sector in the last one decade. In this study, the authors attempt to identify the components in sources of agricultural growth; the authors also estimate the determinants of overall agricultural growth.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on the secondary data from 2000–2001 to 2015–2016. This paper first decomposes the agricultural growth into area, price, yields (technological improvement) and diversification effects through the method of growth accounting approach. Secondly, the study employs the new classical growth model through the ordinary least square (OLS) to examine the determinants of overall agricultural growth.FindingsThe author's findings indicate that there has been a shift in cropping patterns from the cultivation of cereals to non-cereals in the state during the study period. Among the major crops, the area under pulses cultivation has increased by 19% from 2000–t2002 to 2014–2016. The increase in area under cultivation and the diversification in favor of higher-value crops have been the major reasons for the accelerating overall agricultural growth in the state along with improvements in technology. The study reveals that increased use of fertilizer per hectare, capital formation and road density are the main determinants of high agricultural growth in the state.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is based on secondary data and based on one state. A primary study to complement this could have been better. The limited data available for some of important variables related to mechanizations are also a limitation of the present study.Originality/valueSeveral studies have analyzed the diversification and agricultural growth in India. With our best knowledge this kind of study has not been done so far for the state of Jharkhand in eastern India.

The Welfare Effects of Carbon Tax on Chinese Households: A Study Based on the 2013 Chip Survey Data

2021 ◽  
pp. 2050019
Author(s):  
LI Xuehui ◽  
LI Zhi ◽  
WANG Zhengxin
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Household Income ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Carbon Tax ◽  
Rural Households ◽  
High Income ◽  
Cyclic Utilization ◽  
Urban Rural ◽  
Low Income Households

Based on the micro-data from the 2013 Chinese Household Income Project (CHIP) Survey, the authors use a Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System (QUAIDS) model to simulate and measure the impacts on the welfare of urban and rural households with different incomes after a carbon tax at 50[Formula: see text]RMB/ton was levied in China. The results show that the collection of carbon tax will increase households’ consumer spending to varying degrees. In urban areas, the carbon tax exerts the greatest impact on low-income households, followed by high-income households; while in rural areas, it has the most significant effects on high-income households and the least on low-income households. On the whole, carbon tax’s impact on urban households is greater than that on rural households. To a certain extent, it can help the household income inequality change for the better and narrow the urban–rural income gap. Since the carbon tax does not act on the distribution of Chinese household income in a simply regressive or progressive way, the authors believe that China should implement supporting policies such as tax subsidies or tax refund as supplements to carbon taxation in an effort to establish a mechanism for cyclic utilization of carbon tax revenue.

Multi-dimensional public–private partnership readiness index: a sub-national analysis of India

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sakshi Malik ◽  
Simrit Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
National Level ◽  
Composite Index ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
State Level ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
Indian States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
National Analysis

Purpose Despite being a global public–private partnerships (PPPs) leader, India faces a vast PPP divide at a sub-national level, wherein a few states receive the majority of PPP projects, whereas other states face severe issues in attracting PPP investments. This necessitates the identification of factors that make some states attractive to PPP investors. The purpose of this study is to construct a “PPP readiness index” at the Indian state-level, which aims to assess the readiness of states for the diffusion of PPPs. Design/methodology/approach Using a quantitative method on secondary data, the study scores 17 Indian states on dimensions such as experience with PPPs, physical infrastructure, financial sector development, market conditions, institutional quality and political stability and fiscal constraints for each of the years during 2009–2018. Principal component analysis is used for assigning weights to the dimensions, thereby arriving at the composite index. Findings Results highlight that Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra offer the most favorable environment for PPPs to flourish. In contrast, Jharkhand and Bihar are laggards because they score the least and have limited PPP experience. Practical implications The index will assist the private sector in conducting a comparative analysis between state-specific PPP arrangements, thereby enabling them to make informed decisions prior to forging PPP arrangements. Further, the index will help the state governments in improving their PPP readiness by following the policies of the leading states. Social implications Improvement in PPP readiness of the states will enable higher PPP investments in infrastructure, thereby reducing infrastructure deficits. This, in turn, will lead to economic growth, development and an improvement in the quality of life. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that comprehensively analyzes the PPP readiness at a sub-national level in India.

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