eGovWatch: Narendra Modi asks techies to take on cyber crime, seeks ideas for PMO mobile app

With concerns over cyber security worrying the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked the Indian IT industry to innovate solutions to counter the global menace as well as work on path-breaking ideas like ‘cloud godowns’ and ‘cloud lockers’ to help keep data secure.

“The whole world is concerned. Since I have become the PM, I have met around 50 world and political leaders and out of that, almost 25-30 have said cyber security is a concern. Can Indian youth work on solutions for cyber security” Modi said at a Nasscom event.

The PM also said ideas from the public will be invited for developing a mobile app for his office (PMO) to make it mobile friendly for citizens.

Stating that cyber security will be a “very big market”, Modi suggested that Nasscom should form a task force to see how this opportunity can be leveraged as Indian IT professionals can do a lot for cyber-safety of digital assets across the world.

“I look forward to path breaking ideas from young talent across the country to build innovative technology solutions,” he added.

The PM said if security is not provided, people will be scared of using their mobile phones fearing their privacy and data may be compromised.

Modi, who was among the first political leaders to effectively use social media, said the Indian IT industry should start working on creating ‘cloud godowns’ and ‘cloud lockers’ which can be hired or used by banks and others to safely keep data without the fear of it being compromised.

Referring to the Gold Bond scheme announced in the Budget that gives people an option to own precious metal without physically buying it, he said the instruments can be kept safely in ‘cloud lockers’.
He was speaking at a special event to mark the completion of Nasscom’s 25th year.

The PM said there was immense potential for the Indian IT sector to innovate and provide mobile applications to deliver citizen centric services and mobile governance.

Speaking about the Digital India initiative, the PM said eGovernance also implies easy governance, and economical governance.

The government, he said, is building IT infrastructure, and would adopt innovations. “Like Highways, i-ways are also essential for growth.”

The PM explained how technology was helping to curb corruption and gave examples of the coal block auctions, and DBT of LPG subsidy.