Governments have been emphasising economic development by ensuring growth rates of seven-eight per cent annually, enhancing the welfare of farmers and workers and unleashing the creativity of entrepreneurs, scientists, and engineers. This opportunity must be fully utilised to bridge the rural-urban divide, using knowledge as a tool. As such, I would like to focus on “Empowering Rural India.”

In June 2005, when I visited Nagapattinam, I saw the Village Resource Centre established by the Tata Tsunami Relief Committee in association with the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation at Akkaraipettai.

Speaking to the young members operating the system, I found they were helping locals by imparting education through computers, helping the Self Help Group Members to maintain their accounts, providing weather and sea state forecast data.