Digital technologies can unveil a new world of possibilities in social change and upliftment, and this is the intent of the Veenavani Trusts’ Digital Transformation portfolio.
Digital technologies are an integral part of developmental planning as they help leverage higher levels of efficiency from limited resources and thus deliver greater scale and impact on the ground. Technologies such as data analytics can enable informed planning decisions and help focus developmental efforts where they are most needed. Both national and local-level programmes led by intelligent data could result in improved outcomes, while aiding in measuring, monitoring, and improving all aspects of development, including infrastructure, education, health care, livelihood and human welfare.
The digital world also opens up new improvement prospects for communities from economically weaker sections. Armed with digital skills, people can bridge the knowledge gap, and be empowered — for instance, by gaining information about government welfare schemes, developing market linkages for their products, learning about new livelihood opportunities and improving the quality of life.
India is riding the digital wave. A study conducted by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Kantar IMRB reveals that the next wave of growth in mobile internet users in India is in fact going to come from rural India. Of the total number of 560 million internet users in the country, 251 million are from rural regions. With increasing literacy levels, changing lifestyles and habits, and almost 522 million mobile phone users, the rural economy is expected to grow at double the pace of its urban counterpart.
