Mukesh Ambani commits Rs.250,000 crore for 'Digital India'

Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani on Wednesday committed an investment of Rs.250,000 crore on "Digital India" and said he expected the group's initiatives under it will create over 500,000 direct and indirect jobs.

"I believe digital India will be a huge success because of the adoption of technology by the youth of India," Ambani said at an event that saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi launch the "Digital India" week to empower citizens by the use of IT and its tools.

"Digital India as we have seen empowers them to fulfill their aspirations. We at Reliance will invest over Rs.250,000 crore across the Digital India pillars," he said, adding: "I estimate Reliance's 'Digital India' investments will create employment for over 500,000 people."

Ambani said the launch of Digital India initiative was a momentous occasion in an information age where digitisation was changing the way one lives, learns, works and plays. It can transform the lives of 1.2 billion Indians using the power of digital technology.

He said his group, under the Reliance Jio platform, will roll out an internet protocol-based wireless broadband infrastructure across all 29 states in India. Reliance Jio will also set up a nationwide distribution network for 150,000 small vendors to sell and service devices.

"This apart Jio is working with leading device manufacturers, encouraging them to 'Make in India' smart phones and internet devices at an affordable price. We will give them an assured offtake through our retail system."