Rural telecom, the cable way

 Gurgaon’s glitzy MG Road, also known as India’s ‘Mall Road’ and home to scores of eateries and bars, was witness to a strange protest the other day. Panchayats of villages adjoining the stretch gathered and demanded that bars in these steel and glass structures be shut down as they were corrupting their youth. It is easy to brand this as an act of backward ‘Haryanvis’, but the fact is for all the hype over the scorching pace set by our economy, we seem blissfully ignorant of a very disturbing trend: the rapidly growing divide between India’s haves and have-nots. The tell-tale signs are there for all to see. Traditionally, a large rural family owned land on which they cultivated to earn a living. Along came a builder and bought the family’s entire holding for a price which seemed stupendous for the family. The family rejoiced and splurged on goods and conveniences they always longed for, for years, while their youth invested in cars and other gadgetry which they considered hip. Before long, they blew up their fortune, but since there is no fallback option now, there is anger and frustration, specially among the youth, who fall easy prey to undesirable activities. While figures to convey this extremely disconcerting trend may not be readily available, a look at the rural versus urban tele-density figures provide the best indicator of this trend.

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