We need to put all the DIGITS right to make a DIGITAL INDIA

Picture taken from twitter!

Our PM was not able to attend the 18th National Conference on e-Governance at its venue but he joined it through Twitter.  Social media with the help of technology enabled him to keep a tab on an important conference from another place. The conference updates were available for everyone on twitter, thus the citizens of India could keep an eye on its happenings as well.  They could also raise questions and ask for clarifications.  This is what Digital India stands for. Collaborating digital platforms for the citizens to participate in the governance of the country. 

What is #DigitalIndia?

Projected at Rs 1,13,000 crores, it is an ambitious project of the government to assimilate all forms of technology, create the infrastructure, impart the right education to its citizens , see through the knowledge based transformation and make them all a part of digitally empowered society.

3 Key areas that form the basis of it

• Every Citizen must possess Digital Infrastructure
• Availability of Governance & Services on Demand
• Citizens must realize their Digital Empowerment

 

The above picture encompasses vision of #DigitalIndia

 

Going Digital will make us Powerful

The vision is beautiful but the plan has to be concrete. I know the importance of connecting to the world at the click of my mouse. I feel powerful. Every information I seek is available to me on Google. Right to information is every citizen’s right and thus with e-governance every government must utilize this opportunity to connect with its people. It will also become mandate to share the true picture. Technology has helped many countries to grow and expand and solve their basic problems of water, electricity. India should not be left behind in this but to do all of this, the digits have to be put rightly….

When I say the digits have to be put rightly,  what do I mean…

• Digital literacy at universal level is required
• Digital resources/services must be made available in all Indian languages for people of every state.
• The latest technologies have to be roped in for water management, power distribution, transportation, healthcare, garbage disposal, sewage management and education
• It is very important that every state informs its citizens of its everyday agendas and actions
• Mobile connectivity needs be enhanced
• E-kranti has to be accelerated and pushed across the country

I checked the site of my own native state (U.P.) and thankfully the website was providing latest update in Hindi language. These sites need to be made highly interactive and accessible for citizens. 

Taken from website of U.P. where atleast the latest updates were available in Hindi language, however lots is yet to be updated

 

• Center needs to walk in front by setting example, pressuring states to follow and keeping a tab on them
• The grievance should be redressed promptly and there should be a way of reaching out to the authorities.

Taken from Delhi’s site where I found an option to email your CM

• Each city needs the best development through technologies and techniques
• The villages need state of the art technologies for their advancement

I wondered why Jharkhand’s site was last modified on Mar 13. There were no updates on its everyday work.

 

•  It becomes a mandate responsibility of all states to provide up to date information

 

Tamil Nadu website was quite prim and proper. It was updated on 31st March 2015. The last census update it had was 2011.

 

A few examples, how is it being done both by state and center?

 

• To transform AP into digital AP,  the National Optical Fiber Project has been rolled out. As part of the broadband project, it aims to connect 2.5 lakh gram panchayats across the nation by December 2016.

• It is encouraging to see that companies like Intel  http://www.intel.in/  have come forward to support the cause through their own initiatives like ‘Digital Skills for India’ and ‘Innovate for India’.

• Wifi in schools and universities is being enabled. I have studied in a government engineering college and even the hostels are wifi enabled

• Villages like Chandauli have to be developed. It is a dusty village in Rajasthan’s Alwar district which has its own internet center and young boys use Facebook there.

 

In India where farmers are opting for suicide under the burden of debts and a large percentage of people live under poverty, where illiteracy is in disturbing numbers we really have to slog through miles before we sleep…

 

• We need the last-mile connectivity
• We need literacy first before we can make people ‘Digitally literate’
• For the farmers a lot has to be done. They need to be connected with the best available. They need to be informed about real time prices
• The usage of internet has to be popularized such that every citizen demands it as part of the election agenda
• For this high-speed broadband connectivity must reach every home at the cheapest price possible
• IT will play the biggest role in the achievement of this dream mission.
• People in small town and villages have to be educated and trained to take up IT jobs
• Electronics industry needs to be promoted
• Business needs to be made easier through the technology
• More helping hands and focused approach is needed

The good news is with 10% increase in broadband, India’s GDP is expected to increase by 1.38%.

Authentic information has to be shared through technology and until each and every citizen participates and reaps it benefits, true meaning of digital India will not be realized.