Accelerated use of digital technologies has caused the socio-economic inequalities in the country. Examine in the context of pandemic. (200 Words)
Refer - The Hindu
Enrich the answer from other sources, if the question demands.
IAS Parliament 4 years
KEY POINTS
The novel coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the use of digital technologies in India, even for essential services such as health and education, where access to them might be poor.
Economic inequality
· The bulk of the Indian population, however, is suffering a huge economic setback.
· Several surveys conducted over the past 12 months suggest widespread job losses and income shocks among those who did not lose jobs.
Education
· According to National Sample Survey data from 2017, only 6% rural households and 25% urban households have a computer. Access to Internet facilities is not universal either: 17% in rural areas and 42% in urban areas.
· The Azim Premji Foundation, suggest that between 27% and 60% could not access online classes for a range of reasons: lack of devices, shared devices, inability to buy data packs.
Health
· Right now, the focus is on the shortage of essentials: drugs, hospital beds, oxygen, vaccines.
· In several instances, developing an app is being seen as a solution for allocation of various health services.
· It is assumed that these will work because of people’s experience with platforms such as Zomato/Swiggy and Uber/Ola.
· Patients are being charged whatever hospitals like, and a black market has developed for oxygen cylinders.
Online sharks
· It is also alarming if the pandemic is being used to create an infrastructure for future exploitation of people’s data.
· Given that we lack a data privacy law in India, it is very likely that our health records will end up with private entities without our consent.
@Pallavi 4 years
Please kindly review.
IAS Parliament 4 years
Try to include some positive aspects under each heading. Keep Writing.
