'Digital India' assigned to Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology

New Delhi [India], Feb. 27 (ANI): The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) has been assigned the responsibility of implementation and expansion of the Government's 'Digital India' initiative.

Earlier, implementation of the initiative was handled by a committee, spearheaded by Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant. Hereafter, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has advised the IT Ministry to administer all matters related to further expansion of the digital payment initiative.

Post this decision, Kant revealed that Niti Aayog is inclined towards policy making and is not concerned with its implementation.

"Niti Aayog is only a policy making body. It is a think tank. Implementation of the digital payment initiative is, by the rules of business, the job of MEITY. Niti cannot be an implementing agency. It can coordinate policy issues such as CMs committee on digital payments," Kant told ANI.

Earlier this week, Kant revealed that the BHIM app witnessed massive uptake and rise in transactions post demonetisation, thus paving way for the rise of a digital movement in India.

Echoing a similar opinion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the nation in his 29th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat' radio programme, encouraged the nation to download and use the BHIM App.

"On account of Babasaheb Ambedkar's 125th birth anniversary, we must try and get all 125 crore people of India to use the BHIM App. It has been successful so far in towns and cities," he added.