Technology is a game-changer. For Indian Government adopting technology means a fundamental shift in the way its services are offered, in the way its people are empowered and in the way it is perceived by its people. Not only does it impact the economy, but it also impacts society. Urban India is already seeing the fruits of its adoption, but the challenge here is for the shift to work at the grassroots of the society.
It may still be ages before food, health, education reach the grassroots of the society. But technology adoption is a different thing. The good news is that, once adopted, it has the potential to challenge the corrosive effect of corruption across institutions, thus increasing the chances of food, health and education reaching the grassroots. Digital India is a bold initiative that aims to achieve this.
What are the pillars of Digital India?
Digital India is built on the pillars of broadband highways, universal access to mobile connectivity,
Public internet access programme, e-governance, electronic delivery of services, information for all, electronics manufacturing, skill training for IT jobs and other early harvest programmes. With such a wide scope, even with omissions and commissions, there is a huge shift underway.
According to a recent study, the drivers of technology enabling this shift are cloud computing, mobility and analytics. And, the internet forms the bedrock of a Digital India.
What are some of its initiatives?
To achieve these purposes, a number of initiatives have been launched. A National Fibre Optic Network on its way to connecting India by 2019 is just one of them. Others include:
- Pradhan Mantri Jandhan Yojana: This aims at providing access to banking by opening accounts for everyone, providing them debit cards and even accidental insurance.
- Direct Benefit Transfer: The users can now receive subsidies directly into their bank accounts avoiding middle-men and fraudulent activities.
- Smart Cities: To connect 100 cities using high-speed technology by the year 2022.
- DigiLocker: Users can store valuable documents like driving license, educational certifications, Aadhaar card, PAN card on cloud storage.
- E-hospital: Setting up doctor appointments, making payments and checking diagnostic reports.
- Skill India Initiative: To train 400 million Indians by 2022 so that they develop skills, including technological skills.
- eTAAL: eTaal is a web portal for dissemination of e-transactions statistics of national and State level e-governance projects.
- ePathshala: Developed by NCERT, it showcases and disseminates all educational e-resources including textbooks, audio, video, periodicals through website and mobile app.
- National Knowledge Network (NKN): To connect all universities, research institutions, libraries, laboratories, healthcare and agricultural institutions across the country to have a multi-disciplinary and collaborative approach to utilising knowledge.
- Startup India: To build a strong eco-system for nurturing innovation, specifically startups in the country that will drive sustainable economic growth and generate large scale employment opportunities.
What are the key benefits potentially achieved by them?
- Accountability: As data will potentially be stored about each and every transaction, it is easier to pin-pointedly say who has not delivered. This chips away at corruption.
- Remote access to services: Health and education can be accessed through remote facilities that are connected by internet and potentially, the mobile phone. This improves access by the grassroots to access services.
- Financial inclusion: Over 90 per cent of remote Indians have not made a single digital transaction. In fact, many of them are not even having access to banking facilities. Using technology that makes use of their Aadhaar identity, there is a scope for more banks to reach them.
- Policy planning: The Government can make use of the data it has to plan policies, monitor their implementation and take a data-based approach to find where it is effective and where it is not.
- Prevents leakages: With potentially everyone having an Aadhaar ID and a banking account, the flow of funds can be easily traced. The transparency effect it achieves prevents leakages and fraud.
What’s the upshot ?
A project of this size is a huge challenge for a country like India where the officials are mired in corruption and lethargy. Challenges definitely exist. For instance, with huge swathes of the population going digital, the place is ripe for cybercrime. Then, there is the challenge of educating the rural population about the benefits of technology- why would a rural Indian have the need to go online without understanding what it has to offer? Lack of technology skills to build the Digital India is another – half-baked implementation of technology will mean a lot of rework and a potential waste of taxpayer money. Initiatives taken up to achieve this are one thing, but implementation is another.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Alekhya Hanumanthu
Quelle/Source: Telangana Today, 20.07.2017
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