Indian villagers turn to mobile phones to fix problems

• Eastern Eye Staff
• 26 April, 2017

By: Eastern Eye Staff

Villagers in parts of central and eastern India are using their mobile phones to report and resolve problems, from unpaid wages to a lack of handpumps, highlighting the increasing role of technology in tackling inequalities in the developing world. Mobile phone-based reporting platform CGNet Swara, developed by former journalist Shubhranshu Choudhary and Bill Thies of Microsoft Research India, has logged more than 575,000 calls and published nearly 7,000 stories since its launch in 2010. It is now betting on cheaper mobile internet services and new technologies to expand its reach, said Choudhary. “Much of mainstream media and all of social…

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