Use ICT to overcome digital divide: Ansari

Vice President M Hamid Ansari today batted for the use of Information Communication Technology in the government's social and economic development projects to help poor and marginalised people overcome the challenge posed by the digital divide.
Launching the 'Digital Libraries' movement, the second phase of the total e-literacy programme initiated by the P N Panicker Vigyan Vikas Kendra here, he said e-literacy skills were very useful to ensure the effective participation in e-government, e-commerce, e-health and in the use of personal electronic gadgets.
"The Internet is a powerful tool to improve livelihoods and to provide new economic and social opportunities, particularly for young people in poor communities as they connect with the rest of the world," Ansari said.

"It is a means of overcoming social exclusion providing a "digital bridge" out of poverty," he said.
At the same time, evidence shows poor and marginalised communities face tremendous challenges in overcoming digital divide and in using Information Communication Technology or ICTs as a tool for economic and social development and for improving their living conditions, he added.
Ansari also cautioned about the risk that ICTs may reinforce existing social and economic inequalities and that people who are being left behind, may be excluded even further.

"This highlights the importance of integrating the use of ICTs into economic and social development projects of the government," he said.

Noting that it would be important to integrate IT capacity-building programmes into rural development, sustainable livelihoods and education projects, the Vice President said, "This, in turn, makes e-literacy a crucial skill to posses."
Stating that between 2014 and 2015, the number of internet users in the country grew at a phenomenal 51 per cent, he said most of this came in the rural mobile internet use.
"It represents only 34.8 per cent of our total population. It means that a significant number is still digitally dark," he said.
E-literacy skills and access to internet would provide citizens with an almost unlimited amount of knowledge and information, he said adding this infomration was the key to empowering them and for the making of a successful democracy.

With improved e-literacy skills, more individuals can access ICT-based skill development and vocational training programmes, he added.
Hailing Kerala as a pioneer state in terms of ushering in programmes aimed at improving human conditions and empowering the citizens, the Vice President expressed hope that the state's e-literacy programme would help people participate productively in the global society and information age.
Kerala Governor Justice (Retd) P Sathasivam, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Rajya Sabha Deputy Dhairman P J Kurien also took part in the function.