Interconnection Between The Digital Divide and Livelihood Opportunities for Informal Workers In Urban India

While the digital revolution has been transforming our lives and societies with unprecedented speed and scale, providing ample opportunities and unsettling challenges ahead. In today's digital economy and society, the concept of the 'digital divide has been widely researched for the simple reason in terms of the consequences it produces. The digital divide concept cannot be studied alone without introspecting the intersectionality it brings between economic, social, cultural, and political areas. The standard issue in all the categories is that the digital divide is created by and creates social, economic, and cultural inequality at different levels. In this respect, the particular section of the society, workers in the informal sector, primarily under vulnerable conditions due to limited skill set, face challenging situations, especially for those lacking digital skills, resources, and internet access. Thus, digitalization and its subsequent consequence indirectly make low-skilled workers more vulnerable. As increasingly digital technologies are around the corner, it becomes crucial to know who is benefiting from digital participation and who is being excluded in the process. This paper aims to critically analyze the digital participation of informal workers and its role in opening up new livelihood opportunities for them. While many informal workers cannot benefit from the digital divide, a small proportion utilizes digital technology to enhance their livelihoods. This suggests that if digitalization can be made more inclusive, it can reach a significant population of informal workers. However, it poses whether it can reach as fast as it reaches the top of the pyramid. This will help frame the policy framework that can preferably bridge the digital divide and focus on inclusivity regarding livelihoods and human development