Narendra Modi’s Digital India, a step towards Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas

Delivering his maiden Independence Day speech on August 15, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi listed Digital India among the top priorities of his government. On Wednesday, the government approved an umbrella programme for the same which comprises of various projects worth to transform the country into a digitally empowered knowledge economy.

What is Digital India Project?

The Digital India project aims at making all the Government services available to citizens electronically. It aims at e-governance to help the citizens.

The ambitious Digital India programme aims to connect all gram panchayats by broadband internet, promote e-governance and transform India into a connected knowledge economy.

What are the plans under the program?

• Digital India envisages connecting 2.5 lakh villages by broadband and phones.

• It aims at wi-fi in 2.5 lakh schools, all universities, public wi-fi hotspots for citizens.

• It also aims at creating more jobs - 1.7 crore direct and 8.5 crore indirect jobs.

• Delivering e-governance and e-services, and training 1.7 crore citizens for electronic jobs.

The vision and benefits of the programme

• Digital infrastructure as a utility to every citizen - mobile phone and bank account, safe & secure cyber space.

• Governance and Services on Demand: Seamlessly integrated across departments or jurisdictions to provide easy and a single window access to all persons.

• Government services available in real time from online and mobile platforms.

• Digital Empowerment of Citizens: To empower citizens digitally which means availability of all the documents online.

• Collaborative digital platforms for participative governance.

Aim of the Digital India Project

The Digital India Project which is a better version of the already running National e-Governance Plan aims to provide thrust to nine pillars identified as growth areas:

Broadband Highways

Universal Access to Mobile Connectivity

Public Internet Access Programme

e-Governance: Reforming Government through Technology,

e-Kranti - Electronic Delivery of Services

Information for All

Electronics Manufacturing

IT for Jobs

Early Harvest Programmes

Under this programme, all Central Government Ministries and Departments will come up with their individual projects that can be delivered to public using ICT like health services, education, judicial services etc.

Digital India: A project for the poor

• "Digital India' is not an elite concept anymore. We have to use this idea to revolutionize health and education in India. Use broadband for education for rural areas, and telemedicine for the poor," Modi said.

• A 'digital India' will enable us to compete with the world, the PM further said.

The cost and implementation of the programme

• The Programme will be implemented in a phased manner by 2019.

• The project is estimated to cost about Rs 113,000 crore.

• The focus will be on bringing a change with the help of technology.

• This will include all the ongoing schemes being run by the telecom department and Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY), as well as all the planned new schemes.

• "Digital India is a program to prepare India for a knowledge future," said a presentation on the program to the cabinet by DeitY.