Nearly half of the women living in rural areas do not own a mobile phone, according to the latest Comprehensive Modular Survey: Telecom, 2025 released by the National Statistics Office on Thursday.
Data showed that as many as 51.6 per cent of women aged 15 years and above in rural areas did not own a mobile phone, while 80.7 per cent of men in the same demographic reported owning one.
In urban areas, 71.8 per cent of women owned mobile phones, compared to 90 per cent of men.
The NSO survey defined mobile phone ownership as having a device with an active SIM card for personal use, including employer-provided phones and those not registered in the user's name.
Joint ownership of a single mobile phone is not considered ownership -- in such cases, it is determined based on majority use. The survey did not consider individuals with only SIM cards as mobile phone owners. Data further showed that in rural areas, around 79.2 per cent of men and 75.6 per cent of women aged 15 years and above who owned a mobile phone had a smartphone.
In urban areas, the figures were estimated at 89.4 per cent for men and 86.2 per cent for women in the same age group. The gender divide in mobile phone ownership was also evident among the younger population.
While 74.8 per cent of rural males aged 15 to 24 owned a mobile phone, the corresponding figure for females was just 51.7 per cent.
Shiva Rajora/Business Standard
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