BridgeIT: Digitally Empowering Rural Communities

About the Project

In recent years, India has witnessed a paradigm shift regarding youth development, specifically focusing on livelihood generation through micro-entrepreneurship. However, a severe lack of job opportunities—especially for rural youth—has forced many to migrate away from their communities in search of employment. Furthermore, as the world becomes increasingly reliant on digitalization, a significant gap has emerged between urban and rural communities regarding access to technology-based services. Rural areas are fast being left behind. In recent years, there has been paradigm shift in the development of youth in India with a huge focus on livelihood development through micro entrepreneurship. A severe lack of job opportunities for youth, especially rural youth, has led to entrepreneurship, even at the micro level, as a necessary and viable alternative for livelihood generation. Providing the opportunity for youth to successfully start and run a small business will improve rural economy and lead to better quality of life for the youth, their families, and their communities. Promoting rural enterprise will also serve as a key to stem the migration of youth and bring about a reduction in the number of youth who move away from their communities in search of employment elsewhere. With the advancement of technology, and the ever-growing reliance on digitalisation, rural communities are fast being left behind on the availability of technology based services. A huge gap exists between urban and rural communities in this regard. To bridge the gap between urban and rural communities, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), in partnership with Development Focus (DF), have been implementing an innovative Digital Entrepreneurship Program with the aim to create rural e-entrepreneurs from socially and economically disadvantaged rural communities. Started as a pilot project in 2017 in North Karnataka, and expanded in 2018 to include Mizoram, the project is being further expanded in 2020 to include a new module in Odisha. Consisting of 4 clusters, implemented in Rayagada and Gajapati districts, this new phase (termed as Phase 5a) will extend from March 2020 – Feb 2025 and will be implemented by PREM, Berhampur.