Modi is likely to launch the logo of the programme and unveil schemes like Digital Locker, e-eduction and e-health
By Priyadarshi Siddhanta
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the Digital India Week today with a view to transform the country into a digitally-empowered knowledge economy.
Modi is likely to launch the logo of the programme and unveil schemes like Digital Locker, e-education and e-health. The government had last year approved the Digital India programme comprising various projects worth over Rs 1 lakh crore which include projects to ensure availability of government services to citizens digitally.
Apart from a mega launch ceremony at the national capital, 600 districts across the country will organise various programmes to sensitise people about the ongoing activities under the Digital India platform. The ceremony is likely to be star-studded as chiefs of companies, including Tata Group chairman Cyrus Mistry, Wipro chief Azim Premji and RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani, are likely to be present. Other corporate leaders likely to attend the event include Bharti Group chairman Sunil Mittal and Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani. The Ministry of Communications and IT is the nodal agency to implement the programme.
Digital India envisages connecting the entire country through broadband within four years. As a precursor to this, national fibre optic network is already being laid for this project, while 2,50,000 gram panchayats are to be connected through optic fibres. The estimated expenditure is likely to be over Rs 1 lakh crore, according to a government source. The government is expecting investments worth billions of dollars during the Digital India week, an agency report quoted telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad as saying on Tuesday.
The entire plan will offer five products including Digitising India Platform, digital locker, a national scholarship portal, e-Hospital and e-Sign. To help people associate with government initiatives the programme will have four apps like Digital India Portal and Mobile app, MyGov Mobile app, Swachh Bharat Mission app and an updated Aadhaar Mobile app . The telecom ministry’s projects to create BharatNet in eleven States, set up Wi-Fi hot spots across the country, and lay the foundation for the next generation network, also form a part of the government’s plan.
The week-long event will also see the announcement of measures to create a Institution on electronics and a Centre of Excellence, which are part of the government’s broader e-Governance policy under Digital India.
The state governments have also been asked to partner effectively in fulfilling the government’s pet project of digitising India. In order to aid this, the government has sought to make them equal stakeholders in the entire exercise through cooperative federalism.