Rural India almost untouched by internet revolution: survey

**New Delhi:**The internet revolution has bypassedrural India with less than half a percent of families havingthe facility at home as against 6 percent in cities, revealsa government survey.

“At all India level only about 0.4 percent of ruralhouseholds had access to internet at home as compared to about6 percent of urban households,” said the National SampleSurvey Organisation (NSSO) report on expenditure in 2009-10.

[caption id=“attachment_299992” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Reflecting the digital divided in India, the study saidjust 3.5 households per 1,000 families, had access to internetservices at home in rural areas.Reuters”] [/caption]

Reflecting the digital divided in India, the study saidjust 3.5 households per 1,000 families, had access to internetservices at home in rural areas in the year.However, in urban areas, Internet connectivity was muchbetter in 2009-10 as 59.5 families out of every 1,000households had the facility at home.

Among the major states, Maharashtra was on top with the104 out of 1,000 families had internet in cities, followed byKerala and Himachal Pradesh at 95 each and Haryana at 81.5.

The penetration of digital services was highest in ruralareas in Goa with 50 out of 1,000 households having internetconnection. Kerala came next with 34 families having such afacility at home.

Among the hilly states, Arunachal Pradesh had the bestreach of the Internet service in rural areas with 19 out of1,000 households have such facility at home, followed byHimachal Pradesh at 16.

The study further states that among the major states,Kerala had by far the highest proportion of households with internet access in the rural areas at 3 percent, followed byHimachal Pradesh at 2 percent.

In cities, Maharashtra reported the highest percentage ofhousehold having access to Internet connection (10 percent)followed closely by Kerala, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana.

PTI