The Finance Minister Mr. PIyush Goyal unveiled while announcing the Interim Budget 2019-20 that the government is aiming to turn 1Lakh villages into digital villages over the next 5 years under its ambitious Digital India programme.
“More than 3 lakh Common Service Centres (CSCs) employing about 12 lakh people, are digitally delivering several services to the citizens. The Common Service Centres are expanding their services and also creating digital infrastructure in the villages, including connectivity, to convert the villages into Digital Villages. The government will make 1 lakh villages into digital villages over next five years,” he said.
He also lauded about how India is now leading the world in consumption of mobile data.
“India is now leading the world in the consumption of mobile data. Monthly consumption of mobile data increased by over 50 times in the last five years. The cost of data and voice calls in India is now possibly the lowest in the world.” Said Mr. Goyal
On this Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) presented its views calling the government’s vision to make 1 lakh villages into digital villages to be ambitious and that it will guide in the much desirable digital revolution under the Digital India initiative, and will help in the last mile connectivity.
Bridging the rural-urban digital divide, the 1 lakh digital village plan will also unlock opportunities to jobs and employment creation.
“With more than 250 million unbanked population in the country, and 40% of bank accounts lying inactive, the creation of 1 lakh digital villages in the next 5 years, will provide digital payment companies a great opportunity to integrate this populace to a formal economy by designing simplified digital payment experience for them,” said Kumar Srinivasan, CEO, of fin-tech firm MatchMove.
As disclosed by CSCs, various e-services provided by the central government, state government and private players in rural or remote villages will be made available to the citizens in a Digital Village.
“DigiGaons have been positioned as change agents that will promote rural entrepreneurship and build rural capacities,” CSC officials said.
Source: DNA India