Here's how smartphones became India's superhero in fight against poverty
'India has been able to lift 800 million people out of poverty over the past five to six years simply by the use of smartphones,' said UNGA President Dennis Francis
 "Here's how smartphones became India's superhero in fight against poverty")
United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Dennis Francis has commended India for its digital transformation and its efforts to expand banking services to rural areas. He attributed them to lifting of 800 million Indians out of poverty in the past five to six years, with the widespread use of smartphones.
Addressing the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on the theme ‘Accelerating Progress Towards Zero Hunger for the Current and Future Generations’, Francis highlighted the profound impact of digitalisation in rural India. He noted that residents who previously lacked access to banking and payment systems are now able to manage transactions, pay bills, and receive payments via their smartphones.
“Digitalisation provides the basis for rapid development [of a country]. Take, for example, the case of India. India has been able to lift 800 million people out of poverty over the past five to six years simply by the use of smartphones,” Francis said.
India’s digital transformation
He further praised India’s high internet penetration as a critical factor enabling the country to benefit from the smartphone boom and enhanced banking access. Francis pointed out that this scenario is not replicated across many Global South countries, advocating for broader digitalisation efforts to address such disparities.
“Rural farmers in India who never had a relationship with the banking system, are now able to transact all their businesses on their smartphone. They pay their bills and receive payments for orders. There is a high level of internet penetration in India as almost everyone has a cellphone,” he said.
Francis emphasised the need for equitable digital access, calling for initiatives to bridge the digital divide as a crucial step in developing a global framework for digitalisation.
Modi’s digitalisation drive
Digitalisation has been a cornerstone of the Narendra Modi-led government’s strategy over the past decade. Following the 2016 demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 banknotes, there has been a significant surge in digital transactions, with the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) playing a key role.
PM Modi has championed digitalisation through the JAM initiative – Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, and Mobile – which has facilitated the opening of millions of bank accounts, including for those in rural areas. These accounts, linked with Aadhaar, enable individuals to access various central government schemes and receive payments directly into their accounts.
[With agency inputs]