Tata, Google launch internet saathi for rural women

Mumbai : A digitally connected India will bring “tremendous power” in the hands of citizens by connecting them to the rest of the world, Ratan Tata said, lauding the government’s ‘Digital India’ programme.

“I’m delighted that the Prime Minister has decided to give so much preference and priority to the fact that India will be a digitised nation,” Tata said at the launch of an initiative to deepen Internet usage among rural women. Tata Trusts, chaired by Ratan Tata, has tied up with Google and Intel to help women access the Internet in large numbers under this initiative.

“Internet will help educate India, will give access to livelihood to many women who do not have a formal livelihood, help reach out commerce to far parts of India,” he said. The three-way initiative comes on the heels of Digital India programme launched on Wednesday by Modi, who pitched for a digital revolution in the country.

Executives from Google said even though growth in women users is out-pacing that of men in urban areas, women account for only a tenth of the total rural Internet users. Under the “Internet Saathi” programme, 1,000 specially designed bicycles having connected devices will give villagers an experience of Internet over a period of four to six months.