Internet usage grows faster in rural India; knowhow still a deterrent

346 million make online transactions for e-commerce and digital payments, with coronavirus boosting practice

Village women and girls carry water at Fangadi Village on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. Photo: Reuters.

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The report titled 'Internet in India' is based on a survey of 77,000 households across all states and Union Territories, excluding Lakshadweep.

Sourabh Lele New Delhi

2 min read Last Updated : Jul 28 2022 | 11:39 PM IST

The number of internet users in rural India increased 18 percent last year, faster than growth in urban areas and continuing a trend that started two years ago.

Internet users in urban India increased 5 percent in 2021. Rural India has 351 million users, or 37 percent of people there, according to a report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and data analytics company KANTAR. Around 762 million Indians have not adopted the internet yet--out of which 63 per cent live in rural areas.

‘Difficulty to understand the Internet’, is the primary deterrent along with lack of awareness, especially in rural India. Goa has the maximum internet penetration and Bihar the lowest among states, the report said.