Related Research Items
Nothing relatedRelated Resources Items
Nothing related| Pro-Poor e-Governance Projects in India |
|
|
| Written by Victor van Reijswoud | |
| Friday, 23 February 2007 | |
|
The Asia-Pacific Development Information Program (APDIP) has released a study of Pro-Poor e-Governance Projects in India. The study is part of of a trilogy of ICT4D Case Studies. The publication analyses 18 projects in India that use ICT for the benefit of poor people, and provides recommendations on how ICT can be applied to the massive, widespread and seemingly intractable problems of poverty. It is widely believed that information and communications technology (ICT) are effective tools in the fight against poverty, if used appropriately. As India’s poverty is deepening and its ICT industry booming, there are many projects underway that are using ICT to reduce poverty and promote good governance. The publication Empowering the Poor: Information and Communications Technology for Governance and Poverty Reduction - A Study of Rural Development Projects in India is the product of research that systematically analyses 18 projects in India that use ICT for the benefit of poor people, and provides recommendations on how ICT can be applied in the fight against of poverty. The intention of the research is to understand what factors will determine the extent to which projects like these can be scaled up from what often appears to be a perpetual pilot syndrome; either to greater use within existing recipient beneficiaries (infusion) or among wider beneficiary populations (diffusion), or both. Projects were analysed and ranked by their relevance, service delivery, community participation and empowerment, equality in decision-making and benefits, sustainability, replicability and their prospects for being scaled-up. This research study is a joint initiative of APDIP, UNDP India and the Government of India's Department of Personnel and Training. It was guided by an advisory group of eminent researchers and practitioners. Questionnaires were completed by 2,156 project beneficiaries and interviews were conducted with project stake-holders and personnel. The lessons learned from India’s experiences can guide the Nation’s future directions, as well as that of other countries. The publication is an ideal resource not only for government officers, but also development practitioners and ICT for development researchers.
Roger Harris and Rajesh Rajora (Foreword by Prof. M. S. Swaminathan). Empowering the Poor: Information and Communications Technology for Governance and Poverty Reduction - A Study of Rural Development Projects in India, UNDP-APDIP, Elsevier, 2006, ISBN: 81-312-0629-7 |
