This Paper has won Consolation Prize in the CoolAvenues' Paper-writing Competition - "In Search of Excellence" - for the Year 2005.

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Executive Summary

Rural development implies both the economic betterment of people as well as greater social transformation. Elimination of poverty, ignorance, diseases and inequality of opportunities and providing a better and higher quality of life are the basic premises upon which all the plans and blue-prints of rural development must be built.

These plans need a medium to manifest themselves in benefits for the rural and Information Technology is a technology that can efficiently and effectively act as one if put into thoughtful use. ICT or Information and Communication Technology, is the driving force behind many an initiative being taken for the rural development.

The main players in the arena of rural development are the Government, both at central and state level, Corporate for whom it's a part of CSR as well as new business avenue, and NGOs that are working for the dilapidated conditions of the rural areas. The main thrust for growth is laid on agriculture industry, communication, education, health and empowerment of rural women.

Project Shakti by HLL addresses the principal issues of women empowerment and creating income-generating opportunities for the rural population. The other initiatives in this direction include e-Choupal by ITC and Amul Co-operative. Among the various initiatives by government, are e-governance projects and virtual Mandis like Tarahaat and Gyandoot. A few private firms are also working on concepts like rural BPOs that are serving many purposes at the same time. NGOs are the institutes that work with the rural folk at the grass root levels.

But the story doesn't end here. Some economists and critics feel the picture isn't as rosy as it seems. E-commerce for them doesn't respond to the basic requirements of health, education and rural infrastructure.

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* Contributed by: -
Shruti Rustagi,
Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow.