The Indian e-Divide
Batch of Pandemic and the Digital Divide in India Author: Gautam Sodani (7 Minute Read) The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown everyone's life into disarray and caused irreparable damage to many businesses all across the globe. Besides the toll on life and living, the year 2020 was ravaged by output and employment losses unprecedented in history, globally as well as in India. India’s GDP fell by 7.3% in fiscal year 2021 and the World Bank estimates global output to fall by 5.2% during the same period. While the severity of the effect varies from sector to sector, there are few sectors that have been affected the hardest. In India, some industries, particularly those that require a high level of contact, have been severely harmed, while others, such as agriculture and allied activities, information technology, highway infrastructure, railway freight, and domestic trade, have shown remarkable resilience in the face of the pandemic. Aviation, travel and tourism, and hospitality were among...