Analysing benefits and challenges of information communication technologies: A study on Nagaland

Abstract

This paper examines the status of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) in the state of Nagaland by using well-structured questionnaires and secondary data. The study had analysed the benefits and challenges of ICT covering the entire state. It is observed that although ICT had picked up well, there are many places especially in rural areas where ICT usage is still very low. There is no doubt that the use of ICT is contributing a lot to the uplift of socio-economic of the people but there is also a necessity of further improving the electronic public service delivery to citizens in a transparent, efficient, cost-effective and easy manner. In general, it is seen that the younger generation appears to be much more in favour of engaging ICT tools in their day to day work and while framing ICT policies more focus have to be given on the lower age groups so as to improve trust between citizens and government and between citizen and various institutions. The study also reveals that sincere efforts have been made to use the latest state of art technologies to take the state of Nagaland to the next higher level and the state is now fully aware of the benefits and challenges of ICT. The findings of this study shows that placing more emphasis on ICT can significantly speed up the overall inclusive socioeconomic growth of the state and therefore more initiatives have to be taken to strengthen ICT so as to bring quick changes in governance and all other spheres of life.