Partner of Google, Intel and Tata for rural internet initiative for women
"I am delighted that the Prime Minister has decided to give preference and priority both to the fact that India is a nation digitized," Tata said in Bombay in launching an initiative to deepen the use of Internet among rural women.
Tata Trust, headed by Ratan Tata, has partnered with Google and Intel to help women access the Internet in large numbers under this initiative.
"Internet will help educate India, will give access to the livelihoods of many women who have no formal support, help reach out trade from distant parts of India," he said.
The three-way initiative comes on the heels of India Digital program launched Wednesday by Narendra Modi, who threw for a digital revolution in the country. Modi also urged the industry to boost domestic production of electronic devices, which represent the second largest import under the Trade program in India.
Major industrial houses in the country have committed to invest more than Rs. 4,50,000 crore in India Digital virtue. Recalling how people were forced to wait up to 10 years to get a telephone connection in his childhood, Tata said deeper penetration of the phone has empowered the entire population now.
The benefits in terms of finding one's identity, self-esteem and access to knowledge by phone are "amazing" he said.
Google executives said that despite the growth of women users is pacing output of men in urban areas, women represent only one-tenth of the total rural Internet users.
In the framework of the Internet Saathi, 1,000 bicycles specially designed devices that are connected villagers will experience the Internet through a period of four to six months.
The initiative aims to cover 4,500 villages over the next 18 months, from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Jharkhand and aims to reach 500,000 women.
No comments