Internet kiosks for rural communities: using ICT platforms for reducing digital divide

The rural population has limited access to communication. The cost of communication has been high as the incremental cost to extend the communication has been high. Using a new wireless option an ICT platform was conceptualized and implemented. This platform was extended to cover a large number of villages. This is an example of a successful public-private partnership. Systematic skill development has been the critical success factor that facilitated easy adoption and rapid diffusion of the ICT platform. Entrepreneurs helped in creating the infrastructure and building trust among the rural community that sustained the operation of the platform. The ICT platform has been used for a variety of innovative applications. Public private partnerships can be a major form of institutional arrangement that could be used for reducing digital divide, where large-scale investments are essential.