In some cases, the post offices also work as extended arms of government departments for distribution and collection of statutory documents and forms, Calindi said.

However, in areas where the literacy is low and the economy is backward, the use of ICT is generally limited to basic communications and money remittances, he added.

Literacy levels and the availability of online content in local languages also influence how villagers use the Internet connectivity and other services offered by the post offices. Literacy, or the lack of it, is the single most important factor for accessing ICT facilities, Calindi said. Content development in many cases was hindered because of poor literacy levels, he added.

Over 50 percent of the content on the Internet is in a few languages, mainly English, according to ITU.