Digital Inclusion for Rural Growth: Internet Usage and Smart Villages Development

Abstract

Though relatively new, the concept of smart villages empowers rural communities by providing essential amenities that support a self-sustaining lifestyle, reducing the need for migration to urban areas. As climate change intensifies, maintaining the current urban-to-rural population ratio of 60:40 is crucial in mitigating global warming and ensuring planetary sustainability ( United Nations (UN), 2017 , World Population and Housing Census Program ). The increasing adoption and use of the internet play a pivotal role in socio-economic development, particularly in rural areas where connectivity has the potential to..