Govt to form new electronics policy to build on the momentum: IT Minister

The Digital India programme has transformed into a "mass movement" and the government will soon finalise a new electronics policy for build on the momentum, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said.

It will also push ahead to meet the ambitious goal of increasing the size of India's digital economy to USD 1 trillion in the coming years.

"We are soon going to finalise the new electronics policy whose sub-segment will be export-oriented initiatives in the field of electronics. The idea is to make India a big hub of electronics manufacturing to serve domestic as well as outside markets," Prasad told PTI.

In an interview, coinciding with the fourth anniversary of the Modi government, Prasad said the troika of 31 crore JanDhan accounts, 121 crore mobiles and biometroc identifier Aadhaar (dubbed JanDan-Aadhaar-Mobile or JAM trinity) for pushing welfare benefits and subsidies, have led to savings of Rs 90,000 crore.

"This is India for digital inclusion and if I juxtapose it on what Rajiv Gandhi had said about sending Rs 1 from Delhi and 15 paise reaching on the ground...in the Modi government Rs 1 is sent and it reaches the bank account," Prasad said.

Highlighting the milestones on IT and electronics related initiatives, Prasad said that Common Service Centre have risen from 83,000 to 2,91,000, while 89 BPOs have started operating in various states in a matter of 2.5 years.

Production of mobile handsets in India too has seen an unprecedented growth, he said adding that almost 120 units manufacturing mobile handsets and components have been established in the country over the last three years.

"We will further accelerate this process and concretise the potential of India's digital economy to USD 1 trillion economy," Prasad said.

India is aspiring to become a USD 1 trillion digital economy in next few years, riding on opportunities in areas like IT and IT enabled services, e-commerce, electronics manufacturing, digital payments and cyber security.

"The common man has come to have a stake in the emerging digital ecosystem in the country," Prasad said underlining programs ranging from national scholarship portal to digital locker, and National Agriculture Market to eHospital.

The government sees Digital India as being supported by "low cost technology" that is both developmental and inclusive, he added.