Google and Tata Trusts’ Internet Saathi program reaches 2.6 lakh villages across India

Continuing with its digital literacy initiative aimed at empowering women in rural India, Google India and philanthropic firm Tata Trusts have announced that they have reached a milestone of 2 lakh and 60 thousand villages across India with the Internet Saathi program. The companies claim that the program has contributed towards bridging the digital gender divide in rural India (female to male ratio from 1 in 10 in 2015 to 4 in 10 in 2018), and now expands to cover two more states — Punjab and Odisha.
As per the companies, the program will cover around 5,000 villages in Punjab, starting from Paras Rampur, Kotli Than Singh, Burj, Vehra, from Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala districts. In Odisha, the program has kicked off from Sindhia in Baleshwar, Parakana in Puri, Bhuinpur in Kendrapara, and will cover more than 16,000 villages.