“The soul of India lives in its villages” – Mahatma Gandhi
India’s rural population forms most of its society and is integral to all its development policies. Working towards developing rural areas and villages is essential for driving inclusive and sustainable growth and helping restrict rural-urban migration, primarily due to rural poverty coupled with basic infrastructural needs. Rural communities are typically impoverished, with limited access to infrastructure development. Although several small firms are growing in and around these areas, only a few big organisations and industries can generate employment. As a result, modernised processes and technological advances have limited influence and adoption due to the lack of necessary infrastructure to support technological efficiency.
Further, the COVID-19 epidemic, along with persistently high levels of poverty and inequality, threatened the progress of the world’s rural people. However, the epidemic has also demonstrated that modern technologies can allow rural communities to thrive, bridging the rural-urban gap.
Technological advancement is a key development factor in rural India. They can result in higher and improved production, socioeconomic equality, the integration of contemporary technologies, and long-term growth, all considered cornerstones of a country’s success.
Impact of technology and innovation on rural livelihood
With a vision to strengthen rural India, several efforts to incorporate digital learning, technology-based labour work, healthcare apps, and so on have boosted the labour market and impacted agricultural activities. Enhanced innovation has improved rural areas’ growth prospects, with policymakers diving deeper into bringing about technology to sector-specific measures.
Technology in facilitating agricultural growth
Technology has a critical role in expediting rural development by addressing inefficiencies. Precision in agriculture tools, such as remote sensing, drones, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, help farmers maximise resource utilisation, reduce waste, and boost yields. Further, real-time weather information, soil health monitoring, and crop disease detection via mobile applications enable farmers to make informed decisions and take preventive steps, ultimately improving agricultural outcomes. As a result, farmers’ incomes can increase dramatically.
Maintaining transparency with information
Openness and effective information exchange are critical for formalising the rural economy and creating a favourable investment climate. Technology fosters the transparent sharing of information and allows for efficient resource monitoring. Digital platforms can be designed to help farmers get market information, connect them with buyers and suppliers, and ensure fair prices. Furthermore, blockchain technology can promote transparency in supply networks, trace the origin of agricultural produce, and combat fraud. By leveraging technology to create transparent and efficient procedures, stakeholders can gain trust, attract more investment, and support equitable growth.
Healthcare, education, and financial inclusion
Technology can also help with other aspects of rural development, such as healthcare, education, and financial inclusion. Telemedicine systems connect remote people with healthcare professionals, ensuring rapid access to medical advice and treatments. This helps to alleviate healthcare-related issues and enhances overall well-being. Furthermore, e-learning systems can deliver high-quality education to remote locations, providing rural kids with information and skills for the future. Technology-enabled financial services, such as digital banking and mobile payments, give rural areas more accessible and secure access to financial products and services.
Digital literacy among farmers
Digital literacy is rising in rural India, providing more people with technological skills and offering new business opportunities. Growing awareness of digital technology and solutions among the younger generation of farmers and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) has resulted in the rise of novel business models throughout the agriculture value chain. These models have several steps, including inputs, harvesting, processing, and distribution. As a result, this transformation reduces rural migration and draws national and international investors, promoting agro-industry development.
Technology-enabled rural development schemes
In recent years, the Indian government has implemented schemes and policies ranging from education to financial literacy, agritech, and skill development that effectively provide basic social infrastructure to rural people.
Technological Advancement for Rural Areas (TARA): This scheme under the Skill Enhancement Education & Development Program (SEED) is critical in providing long-term support to science-based voluntary organisations and field institutions in rural and other disadvantaged areas and helping with technological solutions and effective delivery of technologies for livelihood generation.
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission: The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) seeks to build the infrastructure required to enable India’s integrated digital healthcare network. It will employ digital highways to connect different actors in the healthcare industry.
Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA): ABHA is the driving force behind safer and more efficient digital health records. A digitally secure ABHA enables health data access and sharing with participating healthcare providers and payers. Anyone wanting to join ABDM with digital health records must establish ABHA first. People are recognised and authenticated, and their health records are linked across several systems and stakeholders (with informed consent).
Digital India Programme: Digital India is India’s flagship initiative to transform the country into a knowledge-based economy and a digitally empowered society. Digital India focuses on three key areas: digital infrastructure as a utility for all citizens, governance and on-demand services, and citizen empowerment through digital technology.
Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP): A central sector scheme to build a digital repository for modernising land records in rural India, essentially creating a transparent and accessible system for managing land ownership information across the country. The initiative has sanctioned over 1,000 Watershed Development Components of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana projects to 28 States and 2 UTs of J&K and Ladakh.
Smile Foundation’s work
To bring technology into education and help impact rural livelihoods and students in underprivileged areas, Smile Foundation is improving its learning centres by adding smart classrooms, solar panels, and digital tools like learning software and educational tablets. We also run scholarship programs with partners like Deutsche Bank, Quantiphi, Quest Global, and Siemens. Through these programs, thousands of students receive laptops and other essential resources for online learning.
As part of our Mission Education program, we set up Tab Labs in rural schools. These tablets come with videos, reading materials, quizzes, and lessons designed for each grade level, making learning fun and accessible for young children.
We aim to ensure that no child is left behind and that every student is prepared for a brighter future.
