Google will run a bus across West Bengal from Tuesday to familiarise people with the importance and usage of the Internet.
“We had begun the internet bus back in February 2009 and now the bus will tour the State. We hope to create awareness about the internet as we believe that continuous efforts will enable the common man to utilise the knowledge,” the Google India Director, Mr Vinay Goel, said.
The search engine giant is targeting to familiarise first-time users with the Internet as the bus will be posted at public places and outside schools.
Besides Kolkata, it will travel to other towns such as Durgapur, Asansol, Kharagpur, Ulberia, Chandannagar, Haldia, Bankura and Purulia.
The Internet bus has already travelled 11 States covering 130 towns and touching 6.5 million people, he said.
“We also found that some 30 per cent of the Internet bus users have begun using Internet,” Mr Goel said.
At present, estimated Internet users in India are 82 million and about 37 per cent are from smaller towns.
Asked about street view project of Google, the official said the project will be resumed after it receives some regulatory clearances from the government.