Strategic Metamorphoses of ICT Sector for Human Development in India

Author(s):  
Meeta Mathur ◽  
Sangeeta Sharma

As Indian economy gets integrated to the global economy and strives to improve in terms of human development indicators, a special role exists for information and communication technologies (ICT) in this process. The strategic metamorphoses and the resultant expansion of ICT linked telecommunication services in India have favorably influenced the effort to accelerate the pace of human development by enabling equality in access to information, creation of employment, improving the quality of life, better livelihood opportunities in rural areas, growth of agriculture, impetus to business development, environmental management and many more. After the initiation of economic planning in India, telecom services were assumed to be natural monopoly and were provided by one entity without competition. The government launched ambitious ICT infrastructure initiatives, radically changing its communication policy framework. The resultant growth of ICT services in India has led to significant improvement in human development levels. It has led to a reduction in information asymmetry between the rich and the poor, improvement in telecom density and ICT accessibility in rural areas, fostering inclusive growth, providing better access to market information to people in remote and rural areas, facilitating technological leapfrogging, enhancing business networking and offering new opportunities from the perspective of human development.

Author(s):  
Meeta Mathur ◽  
Sangeeta Sharma

As Indian economy gets integrated to the global economy and strives to improve in terms of human development indicators, a special role exists for information and communication technologies (ICT) in this process. The strategic metamorphoses and the resultant expansion of ICT linked telecommunication services in India have favorably influenced the effort to accelerate the pace of human development by enabling equality in access to information, creation of employment, improving the quality of life, better livelihood opportunities in rural areas, growth of agriculture, impetus to business development, environmental management and many more. After the initiation of economic planning in India, telecom services were assumed to be natural monopoly and were provided by one entity without competition. The government launched ambitious ICT infrastructure initiatives, radically changing its communication policy framework. The resultant growth of ICT services in India has led to significant improvement in human development levels. It has led to a reduction in information asymmetry between the rich and the poor, improvement in telecom density and ICT accessibility in rural areas, fostering inclusive growth, providing better access to market information to people in remote and rural areas, facilitating technological leapfrogging, enhancing business networking and offering new opportunities from the perspective of human development.


Author(s):  
Meeta Mathur ◽  
Sangeeta Sharma

As Indian economy gets integrated to the global economy and strives to improve in terms of human development indicators, a special role exists for information and communication technologies (ICT) in this process. The strategic metamorphoses and the resultant expansion of ICT linked telecommunication services in India have favorably influenced the effort to accelerate the pace of human development by enabling equality in access to information, creation of employment, improving the quality of life, better livelihood opportunities in rural areas, growth of agriculture, impetus to business development, environmental management and many more. After the initiation of economic planning in India, telecom services were assumed to be natural monopoly and were provided by one entity without competition. The government launched ambitious ICT infrastructure initiatives, radically changing its communication policy framework. The resultant growth of ICT services in India has led to significant improvement in human development levels. It has led to a reduction in information asymmetry between the rich and the poor, improvement in telecom density and ICT accessibility in rural areas, fostering inclusive growth, providing better access to market information to people in remote and rural areas, facilitating technological leapfrogging, enhancing business networking and offering new opportunities from the perspective of human development.


Author(s):  
Rakesh Kumar Gulati ◽  
Manveen Kaur

Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) adoption is increasing globally for human development because of its potential affect in many aspects of economic and societal activities such as GDP growth, employment, productivity, poverty alleviation, quality of life, education, clean water and sanitation, clean energy, and healthcare. Adoption of new technologies has been the main challenge in rural areas and is the main reason for the growing gap between rural and urban economy. The work related ICT use have also yielded mixed results; some studies show the individual’s perceived work-family conflict, negative cognitive responses e.g. techno stress while others show increased productivity, improved job satisfaction and work-family balance due to flexible work timings. This paper attempts to understand the role of ICT in human development areas of health, education and citizen empowerment taking into consideration of digital divide which exists in geographic area and within the communities through literature review.


Author(s):  
P. Devika ◽  
N. Mathiyalagan

India, with its billion inhabitants, requires better emergency services to meet the growing demand for faster critical care facilitation. The scientific advances in the field of information and communication technology have contributed to the implementation of various e-health initiatives by various state governments within the country to improve the quality, access, and delivery of emergency care. “108 Emergency Response Service” is an e-health project established by the government of Tamilnadu state in India to render emergency services to the people. A qualitative study of the effectiveness of Information and Communication technologies in this Emergency Response Service (108 Emergency Service) in Coimbatore district of Tamilnadu state (http://www.coimbatore.tn.nic) was done and recommendations to increase the effectiveness were provided. The results reveal that the efficiency and effectiveness of 108 ERS could be greatly enhanced by providing better telecommunication facilities in rural areas and by deploying Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) and Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) technologies to reduce the response time of the emergency vehicles.


Author(s):  
J. B. Ogunremi ◽  
P. Abraham

The study evaluated the accessibility and problems associated with the use of information and communication technologies in rural areas of Ondo State. Total sampling was used to select 92 rural fish farmers from three riverine Local Governments in the state between February and April. Questionnaire was used in data collection. Data were analyzed by the use of frequency, percentage, mean and Chi-square test. It was found that radio (96.7%), television (84.4%) and mobile phone (95.7%) were most accessible ICTs to fish farmers of which radio is the most effective (62.0%). Problems associated with the use of ICTs were electric power supply (96.7%), lack of access to ICTs (62.0%) and inadequate information on ICTs (59.8%). There were significant relationship (P<0.05) between problems associated with the use and accessibility of ICTs by fish farmers. It is recommended that the government should allow a wide range of radio broadcast options by giving opportunities for private competition provision of radio content which will allow for development input from relevant agencies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 244 ◽  
pp. 10044
Author(s):  
Madina A Raimjanova ◽  
Dildora Kh Shadiyeva ◽  
Laziz S Zoyirov ◽  
Rasulbek B Saidov ◽  
Mavluda T Askarova

The article is devoted to an overview of the development and state of the digital economy of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the world as a whole. In particular, the role of information and communication technologies in enhancing the economic growth of countries and facilitating access to public services is being examined. The main components that stimulate the development of the country’s digital economy (investments in information and communication technologies and their development, digital infrastructure, e-government) are revealed. When studying the material, the methods of analysis, observation, grouping, comparison of world experience in the development of information and communication technologies, and the digitization of the economy were used. A review of the main world ratings that are significant in the development of the digital economy is carried out and the place of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the ratings is revealed, a growth trend is noted. The analysis of the prospects of digital technologies in the Republic of Uzbekistan is carried out, the special role of the documents issued by the government on the development of the digital economy, as well as the organizations created that allow making innovative proposals, is noted. Based on the results of the study of the material, recommendations were made for improving the state of the digital economy in the country and in the world as a whole. These recommendations are also reflected in the regulatory documents on regulating the digitalization of the economy of the Republic of Uzbekistan.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 208
Author(s):  
P.P. Blom ◽  
D.E. Uwizeyimana

This article aims to assess the effectiveness of e-Government and e-Governance service during the national lockdown in South Africa. The focus of this article is on e-Health, e-Education and e-Municipal Services delivery, as these are the most sought-after e-Services during the national lockdown caused by COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic in 2020. Education, health, and municipal services are some of the core functions that could not be paused during the lockdown due to their importance. The methodology used in this research is mainly qualitative. Unobtrusive research techniques based on documentary and theoretical analysis will be applied to assess the state and use of e-Government and e-Governance within the public sector during the national lockdown in South Africa. The findings of this article suggest that government failed to achieve its objective of building an inclusive Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) infrastructure in South Africa. Even though steps have been taken by the government to provide free access to basic e-Services, network coverage, and ICT infrastructures, poverty and inequality remain the major challenges in rural areas. The findings of this research suggest that the South African government needs to build ICT infrastructures in rural areas and to provide citizens with training on how to utilise ICT infrastructures in order to reduce the gap between rural and urban areas.


10.36962/eh16 ◽  
2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elshan Hajizadeh ◽  

Purpose - describing scientifically the origin and evolution of the specific and different aspects of the information economy to justify its special role in finding a foundation of the information society and the global economy. Methodology - retrospective, comparative methods and factor analysis; Findings: finding its global rapid development of the information economy doomed to convert segmental global economic system and the formation of new economic relations. Research limitations - continuation of the general approbation of the information economy and the incompleteness of its cycle. Practical implications - in expanding the use of research in the direction of the concept of knowledge-based economy as a business and research activities, as a theoretical source of information and communication technologies. Originality - study the information economy as the basis of the information society, and this "economy of human capital" approach, based on knowledge, high innovative technology, intellectual work.


Author(s):  
George Alexopoulos ◽  
Alex Koutsouris ◽  
Irene Tzouramani

In the last few decades, within the rhetoric of the “information age”, there is a growing enthusiasm for the (potential) benefits of the dissemination of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This is further enhanced through eGovernment projects undertaken on a worldwide scale. However, a number of issues seem to defy such optimism as far as rural areas are concerned. The critical review of such issues question the thesis that ICTs undoubtedly benefit (human) development. In particular, this paper, drawing on data from a large-scale survey in Greece, identifies the marginal effects of a series of demographic, socioeconomic and spatial characteristics, and information sources on PC and Internet use on the part of young rural inhabitants, especially farmers. The results, pointing toward an emerging intra-rural digital divide, are consequently discussed vis-à-vis eGovernment projects, from the point of view of human development.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehluli Masuku ◽  
Sindiso Bhebhe ◽  
Njabulo Bruce Khumalo

It has come as a fact that the use of Information and Communication Technologies has come to stay in this world. It aids the implementation of the emerging and irresistible e-government concept that seems to be the in-thing the world over. Zimbabwe has also joined the world by ascertaining its commitment to e-government as witnessed by its promulgation of various e-government services. However, despite the government of Zimbabwe having committed itself to e-government, it is of concern to note that up to this day, the country is operating without a clear information management policy or strategy that will guide and direct all the information management practitioners in the country. This comes as a great weakness in this day and age when the government of Zimbabwe has declared its intentions to subscribe to the e-government concept both in principle and in practice. Although the country has managed to survive without a clearly defined information policy in the pre e-government era, chances of it rolling out an effective and sustainable e-government policy on the same foundation are very slim, given the importance of well managed information as a pillar of sound e-government. The paper employed document analysis as its methodology in which Zimbabwe National Information and Communication Policy (ICT) Policy Framework of 2005 and the Ministry of Information Communication Technology’s (MICT) Strategic Plan (2010-2014) were reviewed and assessed the extent to which they sufficed to serve as information management frameworks that can support e-governance in Zimbabwe. The study revealed that there are ICT policies that are meant to serve as ICT strategies for the country but none of them has been put to test and such policies are very piecemeal at best as far as their coverage of information management is concerned. The first policy of such nature was the Zimbabwe National Information and Communication Policy (ICT) Policy Framework of 2005 that was developed by the government of Zimbabwe. This was followed by the Ministry of Information Communication Technology’s (MICT) Strategic Plan (2010-2014) which was being led by the then Minister Nelson Chamisa in the Government of National Unity (GNU). Following the dismantling of the GNU, the MICT was also dismantled and a new Ministry known as the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services that was headed by then Minister Webster Shamu came up with a new draft policy to guide ICT in Zimbabwe. Ironically, that new policy did not see the light as the then Minister was relieved of his duties and the new and incumbent Minister; Mr Supa Mandiwanzira came up with a new draft to guide the ICT operations in Zimbabwe. Despite all these developments, it remains of concern to notice that none of these policies ever prioritised information management as a strategic pillar of e-government. It is the argument of these authors that without the country’s e-government strategy being governed by a sound information management policy that will ensure the creation, management, and preservation of information, the concept will suffer the consequences in retrospect, to the detriment of the concept and the citizens. The study further revealed that the present policies are only addressing technical issues such as network and infrastructural issues of information management, yet other important aspects such as preservation, disposal and legal issues of information management are neglected. The study recommends a new framework that is comprehensive in terms of all the facets of information management. The framework covers all the relevant information management players such as archivists, librarians, records managers and the ICT personnel who should work together so as to collectively manage national information that support e-governance which Zimbabwe has just embarked on. The study further recommends that every government department has an information manager and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services should be the one in charge of the information management framework and oversee its implementation. 


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