Abstract:
Participation by the citizens in core activities of governance, social, cultural and political issues is seen as an indicator of the development of any state. The access to internet has provided an important tool for the participation of people in developing countries like India, China and Brazil. The use of internet has created an upsurge in the economic sphere of the country. Its use is no more confined to the urban Indians only. Even rural India has shown positive acceptance to the internet and its plethora of services. Mobile phones are the most popular device of the present times and internet usage on this device has accentuated the connectivity with the outside world even from the remotest of places. There has been a lot of research in the past on the status of internet usage in the world and the reports have found the use of mobile internet restricted due to connectivity issues, illiteracy, non-acceptance of internet, and high costs. The situation is more unpredictable in a country like India where the demographics are stunningly varied. This paper seeks to study the findings of various reports and study the progress of e-participation in rural and urban India.