India should focus on rural connectivity: Pitroda

The challenge before the country is to enhance rural connectivity and using evolving technologies for application in the field of education by facilitiating distance learning and creating virtual classrooms, according to National Knowledge Commission Chairman Sam Pitroda.

The country needed to focus on applications for education, e-governance, health, food and developing local applications in future, he said in his keynote address through tele-conferencing at the CII organised `Comtel 2008' on the theme `Breaking Barriers, Bridging the Divide' in Bangalore on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, Rajiv Mody, chairman and CEO, Sasken Communication Technologies Limited, said despite the significant growth in the Indian telecom industry, tele-density is low with a visible technology divide between rural and urban strata.

While the gap between the digital haves and have-nots has narrowed significantly, the aim is to reach the same level of growth in rural areas as in urban areas.

"Bridging the divide is all about making communication affordable, accessible and reliable for all classes of people, both urban and rural", he said.

Speaking about the future, Mody said a large part of the next set of telecom customers would in rural areas and rural connectivity would become the next hot issue facing the industry. "There are numerous opportunities in the rural areas. The key lies in encouraging local content to help implement e-governance applications and connect rural India for an overall inclusive growth", he said.