Make access to internet a human right

All online services and applications must be available in all major Indian languages, says the author

The last six months have been the worst of times in most of our lives with the Covid-19 pandemic affecting normal life in unprecedented ways. But it was also a period when individuals, organisations and governments learned to adapt and adjust their behaviour with speed.

Several innovations were introduced to our ways of working so that our lives and businesses could be sustained. From working from home and using digital signatures and documents to substitute for physical means to meetings, including formal and regulated ones, being conducted online and digitally, eating in at home, using food delivery services, taking classes online, strengthening our immunity by eating healthy and exercising, touching base with each other periodically, travelling less for business, using tele-consults in healthcare etcetera – we have adjusted in unprecedented ways in a very short period of six months.

So what do the next six months hold for us? This is a list of desirable changes and innovations rather than a set of predictions. I hope that these will give ideas for business leaders, entrepreneurs, bureaucrats, and politicians.

Access to internet is becoming a necessity in the digitised world and we should become one of the first countries in the world that makes access to internet a human right. With this, we should enable every citizen to own a smart phone. Tablets should be available for rental use in every village in our country for use by citizens. And 4G access should be across India. We should be the first country to move to 5G.

All online services and applications must be available in all major Indian languages. Interactions with these applications can be either using text or through interactive voice response systems.

We must institute a universal social security system such that people losing jobs can be covered till they get another job or till they reskill themselves for a different job. This will also ensure that there is minimum activity in the economy and, hence, would be justified.

We must declare towns and cities as the primary living areas – rural areas are for farming or for forestry. Quality basic citizen services can be concentrated to these primary living areas. We should protect the rest of the land and water from pollution and save these for future generations. These towns and cities should be redesigned to minimise commute times to work, education, health care and entertainment – these should be redesigned around the lives of citizens. These urban areas should primarily be designed for public transportation. Private use of vehicles should be reserved for recreational purposes or during holidays.

 

We must implement the recommendations in the National Education Policy soon such that people have choices on when, where and at what pace education can happen. Choices for continuing education and micro degrees must increase. Education should be blended – online, physical, in campus, at home, and at work. All educational institutions should be regulated by a minimum set of autonomous private bodies.

Individuals and organizations have adjusted to work from home. We should shift to three-four days where people commute to work. The remaining one-two days should be flexible and people can choose to work intermittently so that they get enough time to spend with family and friends.

Health care services need to be scaled up by 10 times such that there is enough capacity to provide better care for all citizens. Services should be provided digitally and physically based on the type of service – initial consultations can be digital, and the citizen reach a clinic or hospital only when needed. There needs to be minimum health care insurance coverage for all citizens, with the government providing the basic insurance for citizens below poverty line at cost.

Citizens need to be incentivised to live healthy lives. Living healthy will lower insurance and health care costs. Digital tools and apps can be provided so that citizens can manage their habits and health better.

We should digitise all the ID documents that we need –Aadhaar, passport, voter ID card, PAN card, driver’s licence, national health ID and so on.

Finally, in a digital world, we must ensure that citizens have control over their data and use of this data is limited to consents given to organisations and governments by the citizens. The economic benefits of this data will equally accrue to society and organisations that have been given consent to collect data and provide services.

The writer is co-founder of Infosys and chairman of itihaasa Research and Digital, and Axilor Ventures. Views are personal