DIGITAL INDIA

INTRODUCTION
Digital India is a campaign launched by the Government of India to ensure that
the Government’s services are made available to citizens electronically through
improved online infrastructure and by increasing Internet connectivity or making
the country digitally empowered in the field of technology.
The Initiative includes plans to connect rural areas with high-speed internet
networks. It consists of three core components: the development of secure and
stable digital infrastructure, delivering government services digitally, and universal
digital literacy.
This campaign was launched on 1 of July 2015 by the government of India under
The rule of Prime Minister- Narendra Modi with a motto of – “Power to
Empower”.
It holds/provides an important aspect to the other key schemes of India, such As
Make in India, BharatNet, Standup India, Industrial corridors, Startup India,
Sagarmala, UDAN-RCS, Bharatmala and Dedicated Freight Corridors.
The main aim of this initiative is to connect rural areas with high-speed internet
Connectivity and increase digital literacy. This campaign comes under the Ministry
Of Electronics and Information Technology and is led by Ravi Shankar Prasad and
P.P. Chaudhary.
Digital India has 3 core components:-
1. Delivering Government Services Digitally
2. Universal Digital Literacy
3. Development of Secure and Stable Digital Infrastructure
Digital technologies including mobile applications and cloud computing are
Considered as catalysts for rapid growth of a nation’s economy and empowering
Citizens across the globe. These technologies are used by us daily, from
government offices to retail stores. They help us to share information on concerns
or issues faced by us and connect Us with each other.
The objective of this campaign is to come out with ideas and practical solutions
For creating opportunity for all the citizens to harness modern technology and
Transforming our nation. Each and every citizen must be empowered enough to
Have an access to digital knowledge, information and services. The vision of this
programme includes growth in areas of products, manufacturing, Job
opportunities, electronic services etc. But the vision is basically centred on 3 Key
areas:-
1. Governance & Services on Demand
2. Digital Empowerment of Citizens
3. Digital Infrastructure as a Utility to Every Citizen

SCOPE OF DIGITAL INDIA

The overall scope of this programme is

1. To prepare India for a knowledge future.

2. On being transformative that is to realize IT (Indian Talent) + IT
(Information Technology) = IT (India Tomorrow).
3. Making technology central to enabling change.
4. On being an Umbrella Programme – covering many departments.
o The programme weaves together a large number of ideas and
thoughts into a single, comprehensive vision, so that each of
them is seen as part of a larger goal. Each individual element
stands on its own but is also part of the larger picture.
o The weaving together makes the Mission transformative in
totality.
5. The Digital India Programme will pull together many existing schemes
which would be restructured and re-focused and implemented in a
synchronized manner. The common branding of the programmes as
Digital India, highlights their transformative impact.
9 PILLARS
Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) which is executing the BharatNet
Scheme will also be responsible for the Digital India project. The government of
India has planned to target the 9 “Pillars of the Digital India” specifically.
9 “PILLARS OF THE DIGITAL INDIA
1. IT for Jobs
2. Universal Access to Mobile connectivity
3. Early Harvest Programmes
4. Broadband Highway
5. Information for All
6. Public Internet Access Programme
7. E-Kranti, electronic delivery of services
8. Electronics Manufacturing
9. E-Governance, reforming Government through Technology
Some of the facilities that will be provided under this campaign are e-shopping,
National scholarship portal, Bharat Net, e-sign, Digital locker, e-health and
education. The government of India also has an idea of launching Botnet cleaning
Centers as a part of Digital India.

HISTORY
Digital India was launched by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on 1 July
2015, with an objective of connecting rural areas with high-speed Internet
networks and improving digital literacy. The vision of Digital India programme is
inclusive growth in areas of electronic services, products, manufacturing and job
opportunities. It is centred on three key areas – digital infrastructure as a utility to
every citizen, governance and services on demand, and digital empowerment of
citizens. The plan also attempted to expand access to the internet in rural areas
through the implementation of the Netcare System program.
IMPORTANCE
The Indian government launched a ground-breaking initiative
called Digital India in 2015 with the goal of propelling the
country into a new era of advancement and innovation. This
ambitious project aims to turn India into a knowledge
economy and society enabled by digital means, a major step
towards the future.

A comprehensive and inclusive technological transformation

is fostered by each of the main pillars upon which Digital
India is built. Digital infrastructure, which establish At its
core, Digital India aims to empower citizens digitally. The
program aims to provide Indians the tools and skills they
need to succeed in the digital age by integrating technology
into their daily lives. The goal is to enable people —
especially those living in rural areas — to take advantage of
the opportunities brought about by the digital revolution.
This includes efforts for skill development and digital
literacy.

In addition, Digital India prioritizes electronic manufacturing

as a means of encouraging creativity and independence. The
effort intends to lessen reliance on imports, strengthen the
economy, and generate employment opportunities in the
rapidly expanding tech sector by encouraging domestic
production of electronic goods.

The curriculum also acknowledges the value of information

for everybody. Digital information distribution guarantees
that knowledge becomes a resource that is freely available,
dismantling barriers and encouraging a culture of ongoing
innovation and learning.
The Importance of Digital India, in conclusion, goes
beyond only technological progress. It is a forward-thinking
road map for a day when all citizens can actively engage in
the digital revolution, regardless of where they live or what
their background is. Digital India is guiding the country
towards a more inclusive, digitally savvy, and brighter future
by tackling important pillars including e-governance,
electronic manufacturing, and digital infrastructure. It is a
commitment to releasing technology’s revolutionary potential
for the good of humanity, not merely a programes the
foundation for universal connectivity and access, is one of its
essential components. In order to ensure that no citizen is
left behind in the march towards progress, the program
envisions a nation in which even the most isolated areas are
seamlessly interwoven into the digital fabric.

E-governance is yet another important pillar. The goal of

Digital India is to improve citizen access, efficiency, and
transparency in government service delivery. Digitization
streamlines bureaucratic procedures, cutting down on red
tape and encouraging a government that is focused on the
needs of the people. This enhances the relationship between
the people and their government while also increasing the
effectiveness of public services

NEW DIGITAL SERVICES

The National e-Governance Plan has aimed at bringing all the government services
Onilne like:
• MyGov.in is an online portal to share ideas and inputs on matters of Governance
and its policies.
• UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) is a Multi-lingual,
multi-service, multi-platform and multi-channel mobile Application for services
like tax payment, utilities bill payment,
AADHAR, PAN, EPFO, Digilocker, Indian railway tickets bookings, ePanchayat,
police clearance, passport, birth certificates, e-District and Other services from
private companies.
• e-sign helps the citizens to sign a document digitally (online) using Aadhar card
authentication etc. The 2016 Union budget of India had devised 11 technologies,
creating a golden Opportunity for IT companies to build out the systems that will
be required and Including the use of data analytics to nab tax evaders and
eradicate black money From the country. This led to the major demontization in
2016. The mission of the Digital Literacy Programme is to connect 550 farmer
markets all over the country through the use Of digitalisation and technology.
All these facilities will help in empowering the citizen digitally. The Digital Locker
facility is enabled to secure and digitally store the government issued Documents
like passport, mark sheets, PAN card and degree certificates. It’s main aim is to
eliminate the use of physical documents, and provide a hasslefree, verified
electronic documents that can be carried across various government Agencies.
The main key points/stakeholders to this scheme are requester, citizen And issuer.
It’s main aim is to eliminate the use of physical documents, and provide a
hasslefree, verified electronic documents that can be carried across various
government Agencies. The main key points/stakeholders to this scheme are
requester, citizen And issuer. The government has also implied many intiatives to
create job opportunities,Specially for the rural areas. It has created 28,000 BPO
seats in many states and One common service centre in every gram panchayat of
the state. This will cause a Surge in the growth of the job opportunities.
e-Sampark Vernacular email service is a service which is initiated to connect the
rural India with the digital India, the government has impelled the email service
providers like Rediff, Gmail etc. to provide email address in regional languages as
only 10% of Indians speak in english and 90% of the Indians depend on the
regional language. The email service providers replied positively and are working
on this issue. Data Xygen Technologies Pvt Ltd, is an Indian based company, it has
launched the world’s First linguistic email address (DATAMAIL), apparently it
allows to create email ids in 8 Indian languages and will soon offer to create email
addresses in 22 Indian Languages. Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta
Abhiyan’s (PMGDisha) main objective is To make 6 crore rural population to be
digitally literate by March 2019. This Programme is approved by The Union
Cabinet which is chaired by the PM Narendra Modi.

VISION AREAS
The vision is centred on three key areas

1. Digital infrastructure as Utility to Every Citizen

2. Governance and services on demand
3. Digital empowerment of citizens

Digital Infrastructure as Utility to Every Citizen

 Availability of high speed internet as a core utility for delivery of

services to citizens.
 Cradle to grave digital identity that is unique, lifelong, online and
authenticable to every citizen.
 Mobile phone and Bank account enabling citizen participation in
digital and financial space.
 Easy access to a Common Service Centre.
 Shareable private space on a public Cloud.
 Safe and secure Cyber-space.
Governance and Services on Demand

 Seamlessly integrated across departments or jurisdictions.

 Services availability in real time from online and mobile platforms.
 All citizen entitlements to be available on the Cloud to ensure easy
access.
 Government services digitally transformed for improving Ease of
Doing Business.
 Making financial transactions above a threshold, electronic and
cashless.
 Leveraging GIS for decision support systems and development.

Digital Empowerment of Citizens:

 Universal digital literacy.

 All digital resources universally accessible.
 All Government documents/ certificates to be available on the Cloud.
 Availability of digital resources / services in Indian languages.
 Collaborative digital platforms for participative governance.
 Portability of all entitlements for individuals through the Cloud.

ADVANTAGES
 Empowering Citizens with digital services
 Promoting financial inclusion
 Boosting E Governance
 Fostering innovation and entrepreneurship

DISADVANTAGES
 Data security
 Digital India manupulation
 Too much work or overload
 Shrinking job opportunities
  Social isolation

PROBLEMS IN IMPLEMENTING
 Digital literacy
 Poor infrastructure
 Low internet speed
 Lack of coordination among various departments
 Lacks of fund
 Lack of awareness
 Lack of trained teachers
 Security concerns

CRITICISMS
Several academic scholars have critiqued ICTs in development. Some take issue
with technological determinism, the notion that ICTs are a sure-fire antidote to
the world’s problems. Instead, governments must adjust solutions to the specific
political and social context of their nation. Others note that technology amplifies
underlying institutional forces, so technology must be accompanied by significant
changes in policy and institutions in order to have meaningful impact. It is being
thought that there needs to be more research on the actual worth of these
multimillion-dollar government and ICT for development projects. For the most
part, the technological revolution in India has benefited the already privileged
sectors of Indians. It is also difficult to scale up initiatives to affect all Indians, and
fundamental attitudinal and institutional change is still an issue. While much ICT
research has been conducted in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Gujarat, poorer
states such as Bihar and Odisha are rarely mentioned. Digital India as a
programme has been considered by some as a continuation of the long history of
bias towards RIL, which has previously manifested in the form of altering TRAI
regulations in favour of the company. Reliance Jio has cited the Digital India
initiative numerous times for its own marketing purposes.
IMPACT
India is now adding approximately 10 million daily active internet users monthly,
which is the highest rate of addition to the internet community anywhere in the
world.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
India’s growth strategy is being bolstered by a focus on digitalization, connectivity,
a cashless/paperless economy, and a start up innovation ecosystem. Focusing on
digitalization can help country grow.
According to a report by economic analysts, the digital india initiative could roost
our GDP by around $1 trillion by 2025. It can also be detrimental to play an
important role in macroeconomics factor such as job creation, labour
productivity, busieness development and revenue generation.
SOCIAL IMPACT
The Digital India programme has had an incredible impact on social issues. Before
there were numerous formalities and paper work available, whether we are
talking about education, healthcare, or banking facilities. The availability of
education services has played an important role in reaching people in remote
areas. According to research digital literary in India is only 6.5%, with internet
penetration at 20.83 out of 100 people. Through smart and virtual classrooms,
the digital India project will help to provide real time education while also
addressing the issue of teacher shortages in educational system. Mobile devices
can be used to provide education to farmers and fisherman.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The environment has a significant impact on our lives. We cut a lot of trees
because of our heavy use of papers, and it is affecting our lives in some way.
Digitalisation will assist us in lowering our carbon footprint by reducing fuel
consumption, waste management, and creating greener workplaces, resulting in a
greener ecosystems. The ICT sector contributes to the efficient management and
utilization of scarce and non renewable resources.
OUTCOMES OF THE EXPANDED DIGITAL INDIA
SCHEME
 6.25 lakh IT professionals will be re-skilled and up-skilled under
the Future Skills Prime Programme;
 2.65 lakh persons will be trained in information security under the
Information Security & Education Awareness Phase (ISEA)
Programme;
 540 additional services will be available under the Unified Mobile
Application for New-age Governance (UMANG) app/ platform. At
present over 1,700 services are already available on UMANG;
 9 more supercomputers will be added under National Super
Computer Mission. This is in addition to 18 supercomputers already
deployed;
 Bhashini, the AI-enabled multi-language translation tool (currently
available in 10 languages) will be rolled out in all 22 scheduled
languages;
 Modernisation of the National Knowledge Network (NKN) which
connects 1,787 educational institutions;
 Digital document verification facility under DigiLocker will now be
available to MSMEs and other organisations;
 1,200 startups will be supported in Tier 2/3 cities;
 3 Centres of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence on health, agriculture
and sustainable cities will be set up;
 Cyber-awareness courses for 12 crores college students;
 New initiatives in the area of cyber security including development of
tools and integration of more than 200 sites with National Cyber
Coordination Centre

CONCLUSION
This campaign has gained support from various other countries like- South Korea,
Vietnam, Singapore, US, The UK, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Canada, Japan and
Australia. Top CEOs from other countries and India have given a word to Invest
₹224.5 lakh crore towards the programme. The investment will be used for
providing internet services and for making smart Phones at an affordable price.
This will help in reducing the cost of importing all These products from the abroad
and will generate a good amount of jobs in India. Digital India has also been
helpful in increasing the progress of Indian Railways by Being influential in the
promotion of the interests of Indian Railways.Digital India’s imapct can be seen by
the increased number of internet subscribers in India (500 million till April 2017)
and it is increasing day by day.