Private sector essential for India's digital, tech transformation: VP

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said private sector participation is essential to bring about a digital and technological transformation in the country.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday said private sector participation is essential to bring about a digital and technological transformation in the country.

He said transformation of the system and the nation for the betterment of the people, should be the goal.

"In the coming days, we should encourage more and more on knowledge economy, digitisation, and innovation. Our country is going through the Digital India programme, we have made remarkable progress in the Aadhar transformation, with direct benefit transfer and availability of various government services to the people," Naidu said

Speaking after inaugurating the 24th edition of the Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS) here, he said, policies and programmes are decided by the Parliament, but at the end of the day, delivery or reaching out to the people is important, and for that there is need to take advantage of technological advancement and come out with new ideas.

"The government led initiatives are crucial. I would also urge upon for the private sector participation, and I feel it is essential to generate jobs, to create innovative applications, and to bring about a digital and technological transformation in the country," he added.

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Minister for IT & BT, Science & Technology C N Ashwath Narayan, Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani, Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw were among those present at the inaugural of BTS-2021.

Considered Asia's largest technology event, BTS is organized by the Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T, Government of Karnataka and co-hosted by STPI, in a hybrid avatar, for three days starting from today.

Extending his best wishes to the tech summit, the Vice President said the discussions and deliberations during the three days will definitely bring the value that is needed.

He said, "Bengaluru is a happening place, India is a happening place and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is focusing his attention and transforming the entire system using technology.... IT, BT, do your duty, you will become mighty, that is the message I want to give."

Reminding that the basic philosophy of India is share and care, Naidu said, "we should share the knowledge, share the success stories and experiences, come out with new ideas and new innovations."

He said the ideas and innovations should be to make the progress that is needed, to create knowledge wealth, economic wealth for the betterment of the society and the globe, and for the happiness of the people.

"Come out with ideas, which will bring happiness, by bringing changes in the lives of the people of all sections," he said, as he called on the summit to focus more on agriculture, calling it the basic culture of India and the entire globe.

"Many people depend on agriculture, which is facing turbulence and challenges. Also, with climate change a lot of changes are happening and challenges are coming up....we must come out with new ideas and innovations," he added.

BTS 2021 with its central theme "Driving the Next" will witness the coming together of global tech leaders, Indian corporate and startups from IT, Deep tech and Biotech deciphering the future, showcasing disruptive technologies, forging partnerships and alliances, officials have said.

BTS will give global audiences access to the best innovations, new products and cutting-edge ideas for building a collaborative, global tech community, they said, it has become the place of convergence for the leading cross-sector tech companies to startups, technocrats to young innovators, policymakers to investors, researchers to academia, facilitating dialogue and collaborations.