NEW DELHI: Stressing on the importance of enhancing internet connectivity in India, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday said, "Connectivity can't be restricted to just the rich and powerful. Cost of internet access has to be made affordable." Pitching for free 'basic net access', Zuckerberg called for a '911 for Internet'. Facebook will also fund apps and services in local Indian languages for women, students and farmers. Zuckerberg announced a fund for developing apps in emerging market countries. Stating that Facebook's mission in the past 10 years has been to make internet accessible, Zuckerberg said, "243 million people in India are on the net. A huge area is unconnected. India has embraced the internet, but has a long way to go." According to Zuckerberg, Facebook is working extensively to enhance connectivity in rural India. "I will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss how Facebook can connect villages," he said. Praising India, Zuckerberg credited it for 'making leaps in revolutions that changed the world'. "Inventions have changed the world throughout history. 'Mangalyaan' is a huge achievement for India," he said. Zuckerberg is of the opinion that lowering data costs by operators is not a sustainable solution. "Mobile operators invest a lot of money, lowering costs is not easy," he said. "Infrastructure is the biggest barrier to internet, then technical issues. Language barriers are huge impediments to the internet," he added. "Connected people have better access to technology, education and jobs. When people are connected accomplishments are easy," Zuckerberg said. "We want to help build an internet which is affordable for everyone," he said. Zuckerberg went on to say that Facebook is working on 'few basic services' on the net without a telcom plan. "Local language content is crucial to internet penetration in Asia, India. Facebook is focusing on content in local languages," Zuckerberg said. Facebook's billionaire founder Mark Zuckerberg is in India. One of the big engagements on his itinerary will be his meeting with PM Modi, a keen supporter of social media as a means of reaching out to people. For the social network, India is the second-largest market outside the US in terms of users but one that generates little revenue. Zuckerberg would certainly be looking to correct that.
