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 of extending communication has been high. Using a new wireless option, an ICT platform was conceptualised 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 create the infrastructure and build 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 the digital divide, where large-scale investments are essential.