The state, IT and development

Information technology (IT) has brought about a major shift in the nature and speed of knowledge processing, thereby transforming the way business and, indeed, governments, function. An integral aspect of social capital, IT can either be an empowering force for the marginalized, or be instrumental in creating a new dimension of inequality. Harnessing IT for effective socio-economic transformation into an epistemic society has created a need to revisit prevailing notions of governance and development in the country, which is confronted with resource constraints and a yawning digital divide. Conceived against this background, this volume consists of 21 chapters written by authorities responsible for planning and implementing IT in India, including the President of India, H.E. Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, senior government officials, IT professionals and scholars. The volume contains case studies of the application of IT in India, both in agriculture and in improving public service delivery systems.