Despite rapid spread of digital technologies in India, nearly a billion people still need to connect to the internet for pushing growth, creating jobs and accessing public services, says a World Bank report.

What the World Development Report said

The Bank also pointed out that India has most restrictive market regulation in retail finance and banking. "At least 8 in 10 individuals in India own a mobile phone and digital technologies are spreading rapidly. With nearly a billion people still not connected to the internet, the opportunities for increasing access to digital technology for creating higher growth, more jobs, and better public services are significant for India," said the 'World Development Report 2016: Digital Dividends,' authored by co-directors, Deepak Mishra and Uwe Deichmann.

Broader ICT strategies required

Releasing the report in India today, Mishra said that digital development strategies in India need to be broader than Information and Communication Technology (ICT) strategies. "There is little doubt about the transformative potential of digital technologies. However, they are not a shortcut to development, though they can be an accelerator when used in the right way," he said. India is currently the largest exporter of ICT services and skilled manpower in the developing world. The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry today employs more than 3.1 million workers, 30% of them are women.