International Journal of Business Management and Information Technology

ICT in Social Development

Sunil Kumar
Visiting Faculty
School of Planning and Infrastructure
Email:- [email protected]
Bhavesh Jha
TERI University
Email:- [email protected]

By giving voice and visibility to all problems. An efficient utilization of ICTs

people including and especially the in different developmental initiatives can
poor, the marginalized and members of enhance the productivity of the projects
minorities the media can help remedy and its impacts on the society. Different
the inequalities, the corruption, the ICTs tools and technology services can
ethnic tensions and the human rights be very economical and feasible which
abuses that form the root causes of so can play a significant role in improving
many conflicts. the knowledge capital and awareness in
-Kofi, Annan, Former Secretary the community. ICT fulfils the objective
General, United Nation of an efficient planning, monitoring and
implementation of different development
Keywords: ICTs, Information Exchange, programmes. Its role has become very
Awareness, Social Development, vital for the various livelihood such as
Efficient monitoring and Evaluation, poverty alleviation, health hazards,
Electronic Governance, Electronic universal education, and sustainable
Inclusion, Participatory approach, development and in bridging the digital
Inclusive growth as well as socio-economic divides in the
world. E- Governance in different states
ABSTRACT provides an interesting example of an
efficient two way interaction of
Information and communications community with the governments. This
technologies (ICTs) are different tools provides a platform for the community
and technologies to transmit information and governments to interact and
and communicate with the community exchange information about various
(one to one or in groups). Through the issues and take different initiatives
use of computers and interconnected accordingly. ICT and other ICT led
networks it provides a feasible and development communication methods
accurate platform to increase the mobility can be of assistance in solving and
of information for different issues and designing projects and programmes that
exchange of knowledge. The society gets take into account the opinion and
to know about the outer worlds progress capacities of the beneficiaries. The
and learn solutions of various basic governance becomes more participatory

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 ICT In Social Development

and transparent pertaining to focus on the channels to communicate with the

local issues and developmental process. community to address the issues.
Management of information systems
Leveraging ict and managing involve three primary resources: people,
information needs: technology, and information. ICT also
Information and communication provides a technical efficiency for
technologies (ICTs) have become a development process. The effective use
backbone for a proficient governance and of ICT can provide inter and intra
implementation of any developmental competencies in people and process
project. Management of different management of various plans of actions
parameters and issues related to the under different levels namely operational
initiative needs information about the Level, tactical Level and strategic Level.
available resources, demographic factors, Some of the visible benefits of ICTs can
barriers in communications and available be illustrated as:

Operational level Tactical level Strategic level

Improvement in Projects functions and Competitive advantage

communication services quality
Cost effectiveness in
Reduction in paperwork Integration with other different activities like
and extra labour costs stakeholders awareness generation
and knowledge sharing
Productive exchange of Promote teamwork
issues and related approach Stakeholders satisfaction
parameters etc
Efficient planning Confidence building and
process and projects economic growth etc.
effectiveness etc.

Advantages of ICTs implementation

ICT ENABLED COMMUNITY

Also electronically included community population provides and facilitates the

plays a major role in synthesising the governments regarding various issues and
problem in an efficient manner. ICTs happenings in the economy at large. The
penetration in the region provides information flow and participatory
important information about the community is very significant for a proper
communities awareness and development development action plan. The table below
in that region. The electronically included various continents.

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 International Journal of Business Management and Information Technology

World Internet Usage and Population Statistics

World Population Internet Internet Users Penetration Growth Users

Regions (2011 Est.) Users Latest Data (% 2000- %
Dec. 31, (December 31, 2011) Population) 2011 of
2000 Table
Africa 1,037,524,058 4,514,400 139,875,242 13.5 % 2,988.4 6.2 %
%
Asia 3,879,740,877 114,304,000 1,016,799,076 26.2 % 789.6 44.8
% %
Europe 816,426,346 105,096,093 500,723,686 61.3 % 376.4 22.1
% %
Middle East 216,258,843 3,284,800 77,020,995 35.6 % 2,244.8 3.4 %
%
North 347,394,870 108,096,800 273,067,546 78.6 % 152.6 12.0
America % %
Latin 597,283,165 18,068,919 235,819,740 39.5 % 1,205.1 10.4
America / % %
Carib.
Oceania / 35,426,995 7,620,480 23,927,457 67.5 % 214.0 1.1 %
Australia %
WORLD 6,930,055,154 360,985,492 2,267,233,742 32.7 % 528.1 100.0
TOTAL % %
Source: ITU

As per the table, while North America is of capacity building services of SHGs
on top having around 79 % electronically and village level bodies, knowledge
included population and Africa shows the about the rights, objective and
poorest penetration at around 13% only. development aspects of the development
An electronically included community projects etc.
can also suggest governments about
different steps in order to an efficient and ICT & Electronic governance
fast implementation of a development Through proper utilization of ICTs,
programmed. Better access to electronic governments can transform
information and communication public services, better and empowered
technology is also an indicator of a society through providing them
developed society. Information and economic and social opportunity,
communication technologies benefit the enhancing their socio-economic
development process of a society in condition of their livelihoods at large.
different manner like improvement in the The use of electronic devices and
understanding of community, better technologies to communicate such as
understanding of different services by Internet, Local Area Networks, and
governments, linking and understanding Mobiles etc. are used by the governments
of different local issues with global in order to address the issues and to
issues, share and learn new practices improve the effectiveness of projects.
from other parts of the world, facilitation The ultimate goal behind the

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ICT in Social Development

e-governance initiatives has been to process. The processes reforms in

increase the efficiency in inter and intra the governments can be addressed
governmental departments. There are through a better electronic inclusion
different applications of ICTs which in government departments. Different
makes Governance process smoother. central and states level MMPs
The services provided are
communication, transactions, Govern-
(Mission Mode Projects) and citizen
ment and Citizens (G2C), Government services centres shares information a
and Business (G2B) as well as other back range of government services,
office processes and interactions schemes and initiatives for
within the entire Government community and plays a crucial role in
infrastructure. In the past decade, there filling the information gap. According
have been various up g radations in the to National Informatics Centre (NIC)
governance process and the increasing Government of India; an institution
use of ICTs cant be neglected. The providing the IT networks backbone
government employees are trained on to the central government, state
technological aspects and their governments and other bodies in the
applications for a better services
delivery to the stakeholders (mainly
electronic governance process, some
citizens). ICT has been the biggest of the available product and services
enabler in the change management can be addressed as;

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 International Journal of Business Management and Information Technology

Products Uses and services

i. AGMARKNET Sharing market information for agriculture produce.
Strengthening interfaces among Agricultural Marketing
related Government and NGOs, farmers, traders and
others. (http://agmarknet.nic.in/)
ii. BHUIYAN-Land Records Online retrieval of land information, like Khasara,
Computerization Khatauni, area wise, farmerwise, revenue collection details
etc from kiosks spread over the state.
(http://cg.nic.in/cglrc/)
iii. E-POST Services of Indian Post for messaging post in electronic
form. (https://www.epostoffice.gov.in/)
iv. Examination Results Portal One stop portal for all the academic, entrance and
recruitment examinations conducted by various
government agencies. (http://results.nic.in)
v. Gyandoot e-Governance Project An intranet facility in Dhar district connecting rural
cybercafes catering to the everyday needs of the masses.
(http://www.gyandoot.nic.in )
vi. JUDIS A comprehensive online library for case laws, containing
all reportable judgements of the Supreme Court and High
courts of India. (http://www.judis.nic.in)
vii. Passport Website Provides all information regarding Consular, Passport and
Visa CPV division, Ministry of External Affairs. Backed
with a central database to provide status and queries.
(http://passport.nic.in)

viii. RuralBazar This serves and empowers the rural artisans in their
marketing efforts. (http://ruralbazar.nic.in)

ix. Value Added Tax (VAT) Monitoring the tax revenue and sales returns generated in
various establishments. The modules that are ready for
implementation are the registration, challan, way bill,
transit documents etc.(http://megvat.nic.in)

Development Communication and

Rural
Communication for development process the rural people and intensifies the
is very vital. Different methods are used process of development. Some of
in order to develop the easier and different methods to sensitize the
inclusive information exchange platform community for a participatory process of
with the community. This mobilizes social development can be exhibited as

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ICT in Social Development

Methods of development Communication and its impacts

Method of development Description, Benefits and impact

Communication

i. Community Radio A broadcasting system, which is collectively owned by

the community or any NGO/ foundation. Provides voice
to the rural population specially those out casted. This
enhances knowledge, and capacity and confidence
building in the welfare initiatives.

ii. Participatory Video A set of technologies to involve community in voicing

out different issues at their own. Participatory effort
plays an important role helping in tackling issues which
is very beneficial for the governments and policy
makers.

iii. Documentaries Small films showing special issues and themes

addressing different livelihood problems/ solutions.
This provides a great source of information about an
issue and moves of communities according. This
provides a rich information for taking appropriate
actions.

iv. Folk Media This provides a tool of traditional communication. This

is used for different awareness programmes and
information exchange programmes about different local
issues.

v. Community Newspaper A powerful medium to reflect the community voices

and new issues, innovations, development initiatives are
shared. This is a community owned newspaper and
focus on the community and different dimensions of the
livings. Different issues at local level viz. women
empowerment, agricultural development, health care,
education initiatives etc. can be shared to motivate and
increase the confidence of community in the inclusive
local development.

Importance of ICTs in Local economic

development
ICTs can play a role of fundamental through easy to deploy, scalable, cost
enabler in creating and sustaining a effective and common information
flexible and competitive social infrastructure. The importance of ICTs
environment. ICT provides anywhere, on a day to day livelihood can be
anytime access to important information, exhibited in a number of ways. Few of

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 International Journal of Business Management and Information Technology

them can be explained as: way. T he improved access can bring

better knowledge management and can
i. Economic Capital: Through the provide a two way communicating
support and strengthening of local platform for everyone to convert their
financial institutions, the different tacit knowledge and ideas into the
information and awareness programmes explicit ones.
can improve information provision on
services and facilities available, like iv. Social Capital: Improved networks
loans and savings schemes. Community can provide a much wider community
based financial management such as platform to discuss different ideas,
savings schemes can also be introduced, knowledge exchange and innovations.
together with extended communication New social networks at a regional and
among a wider community reach for the national level can also help them to
financial institutions. Through this the bring benefits to existing networks and
economic activities can be generated at institutions at a local level, such as
local level which will enhance the community based organizations,
financial inclusion in the local economy. cooperatives etc. The expansion of social
networks may also increase the new
ii. Education & Awareness: Improved opportunities for employment both
access to the information and locally and further nationally.
communication technology can enable an
economy in sharing of knowledge, v.Physical Capital (Economic): It can
education to the interior regions through also facilitate better access to markets
using different cost effective information and market information which improve
and communication tools. Education choices for the sale of goods in local
facility in digital mode can be transferred markets according to enhanced
easily in the form of text, images, video information on p rices and comparative
and radio, combined with the vast storage supply and demand for products. In the
capacity of PCs, CDs and DVDs, which process, new markets, techniques,
also reduces time and associated efficient production, can be explored
engagements. Through the improvement which can provide employment and be
of education, awareness about new helpful in poverty reduction.
communication technologies and
channels, the economy enhance their CONCLUSION
overall socio-economic development.
The ICT infrastructure in the economy
iii. Resources Capital: With the use of has been very impressive in last few
ICT tools, institutions can improve their years. Still the penetration in rural areas
efficiency in data management, resource and people using internet is very low.
management and different records. International Telecommunication Union
Proper use of communication technology (ITU) says in its report ICT
can enhance the information exchange development Index 2011, Indian
with the stakeholders and in turn the ranking as 119th. It is one of the least
organizations can utilize their human, connected countries in the world.
capital and other resources in an optimal Without an IT and communication

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ICT in Social Development

infrastructure strong enough, a shaping rural change. These methods can

productive and transparent electronic be of assistance in solving and designing
governance is far from reality. ICTs projects and programmers that take into
facilitate the governments and account the opinion and capacities of the
community to come together and discuss beneficiaries. Many projects aiming at
about the solutions for local technological up gradation and
development. An aware and implementation of ICT in rural areas
electronically included community itself have failed in the past because of lack of
provides governments and project willingness among rural people to absorb
implementation agency about the such schemes.
solutions for an inclusive project
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