Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has divided the whole world in to two parts. One of those who possess the wealth and so can afford the ICT gadgets and services and the other of those who do not have the required wealth to acquire the gadgets and the services.
We cannot ignore from the stark reality that who are wealthy would become weather and those who are poor would continue to become poorer. Rich countries and rich people even in the poor countries can afford to make use of the ICT services and would be able to survive in the technological era but those who cannot afford log behind in the race towards development.
It is generally believed that ICT may have created a new class of untouchables living in information poverty at one level and a new cadre of high technology entrepreneurs on the other. Thus, it marked a clear demarcation line between the widening gap of the two groups on the basis of the use and awareness of the ICT technology.
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Thus it marks the widest digital divide ICT, no doubt has brought about significant developments, hut whether it is able to make any difference to the disadvantaged sections of the society for example, we all know that Andhra Pradesh is the most ICT friendly state in India.
It also has a sizeable number of farmers committing suicides as a fall out of vicious poverty conditions. This raises certain question as to whether ICT has assisted the poor to gain access to internet facilities in increasing agricultural production in getting rid of their debt trap etc.
There are many parts of India, where electricity and telephone connectively are not easily available. It needs to be examined that whether ICT initiatives take into account specific needs and expectation of people where the minimum infrastructure facilities are totally lacking.
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Thus a report released by World Economic Forum (2002) concluded that India had the widest digital divide. According to the report, though the internet was increasingly popular, there were only 4.5 million internet user and 43 internet service providers. Urban areas mainly have benefited by ICT New Delhi, for example, account for more than 70% of India’s internet connection.