INVESTIGATING THE FACTORS AFFECTING DIGITAL COMPETENCY OF SELF EMPLOYED WOMEN IN VERY SMALL BUSINESSES IN WEST BENGAL AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

This paper aims to investigate the factors affecting digital competency among women in very small businesses in the context of Digital India programme. Digital literacy combined with traditional literacy is the base for digital competency. In the context of high unemployment scenario, self-employment or entrepreneurship is proposed as a solution. The study location of this empirical research is a suburban area around Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal. The study provides empirical data on the gap between the digital skills of very small business owners and Vikshit Bharat Vision 2047. The sample for this research has been taken from the densest parts of North 24 Parganas where self-employment or very small businesses are thriving with people from the adjoining districts and states of West Bengal. The data was collected from August 2023 to October 2023. The study finds that women owners of very small businesses have completed more than three years in business, can use digital applications only in a limited way with very little confidence due to factors like traditional education and low digital literacy. The study suggests the need for training in digital applications by designated centres for digital use in business.