Digital India : An enabler for development

Digital India - Definitely a game changer if they do it right !

The most important digital event of last week was of course the launch of India’s #Digital India programme , which aims to integrate better connectivity and services to India . The gist if this whole scheme is

a.     Integrated government services across states, center and different divisions,

b.     Enable delivery of governmentservices via mobile platforms

c.     Expand current optical fibre connectivity towards greater digital inclusion of all citizens.

4.5Lakh Crores have been ear marked for this project. . Digital India is not only a game  changer for  the current generation of Indians, it is a key enabler innovation and opportunity for the next generation.  See PDF Presentation from GOI 

What is however interesting to note is that many of the pillars of this scheme are already in progress or completed. The big ticket items like infrastructure is going to be the glue that ties in all these services together. 

 Some things that come to my mind around this.:

a.     It’s actually not Modi's Digital India : As with most Modi schemes, these are essentially repackaging of pre-existing schemes that have been lying dormant for many years. If the Congress governments were sleeping on them and haven’t got around to executing them- that's a collective loss for India. If Modi executes those dormant projects, don’t deny his government the credit of following through . "Ideas are like candy—colorful, fun, easy to indulge in. The hard part—the part that matters—is the follow-through." – Marc Andreesen

b.     The capacity issues in India are related to infrastructure – India has no shortage of submarine cables connecting it to the rest of the world. There are some multi-terabit cable systems that land in various parts of India –connecting it with global internet exchanges. While all that capacity is great – how do you deliver that connectivity to towns and villages across India. Digital India aims to address that last mile connectivity by following through with the National Optical Fiber Network ( which incidentally was a brainchild of the Congress) 

Source : http://www.submarinecablemap.com/

c.     Most government projects have been open ended. other government projects this one comes with a date – December 2016. Yes folks, he’s made a commitment of connecting 250,000 Panchayats through the National Optical Fiber Network within the next 18 months.  If I were you, I would put a reminder in my calendar for December 2016 and check with the government on whether they have fulfilled this promise or not. As the Modi Govt is being benchmarked against a higher standard, let us hold them to this date. Please be ready to make RTI requests around this.

d.     Don’t make the mistake of confusing net neutrality with broadband speeds – Net Neutrality is related to less than 1% of India’s Internet problems- OK I made that  statistic up-however ., Many writers have tried to pin low internet speeds on monopolistic telecom carriers throttling users. What they don’t realise is that fast unlimited mobile internet is a business model that does not scale – Almost all global telcos have some form for fair use poliy or the other to provide an equitable service to all their users. While Net Neutrality needs to be one of the focus areas of Digital India, it does not underpin it. That's between TRAI and the telcos. 

e.    Some people are quick to point out thatthis Digital India is all well and  good, but the government should address the issues around poverty and food shortages ( Remember Chandrayaan ?)  : Yes and No. Addressing poverty and food shortages are important- howevermore than that is to address the underlying causes. A connected nation offers greater opportunity to its citizens. As with any start-up organisation, countries have to be at the cutting edge of technology or lose out . According to a UN Study, there are 3 stages to a society’s evolution towards a connected society –

a.     Readiness of Infrastructure – Clearly, India has a few 100,000 more miles to go before that infrastructure is ready. At least there’s some progress being made (Have you set a reminder for Dec 2016  already ?)

b.     Intensity : A connected government is clearly what #DigitalIndia is planning to deliver, with integrated government services.

c.     Impact ( reflecting outcome of effective ICT use) : Now the impact of many of  #DigitalIndia Initiatives may be in job creation around infrastructure.


As Indian society goes further down the path, we should start seeing greater efficiencies around government operations and delivery of services to its citizens.Already Direct transfer schemes have saved over $2Billion by cutting out gross inefficiencies in the system. Digital India aims to integrate health care, and agricultural services education, banking, insurance and pension services through service centres around those 250,000 Panchayts around the country .