Corporate promises billions to PM Modi’s project
TIA Correspondent / (July 1, 2015 @ 19:07:23)
NEW DELHI : Prime Minister Narendra Modi today Launched the digital India week with much fanfare in the presence of top business tycoons. Speaking on the occasion said the Digital India programme would fulfill the the dreams of crores of Indians.
The Prime Minister, described cyber-related risks as a global threat of “bloodless war,” and called upon the nation’s IT community to serve the entire world by building credible cyber-security systems.
Mr. Modi said the leading business houses have already committed to invest 4.5 lakh crore in the programme which would generate employment for 18 lakh people in the country.
PM said demographic dividend must get digital strength. Acknowledging the paradigm shift in the digital world, the Prime minister said, time has changed from humanity settling down beside a river, to highway and in future it will be optical fibre.
Mr. Modi also unveiled E- education, E- Health and E-Governance policy documents under Digital India programme. Digital India comprises various initiatives which are targeted to prepare India for becoming a knowledge economy and for bringing good governance to citizens through synchronized and co-ordinated engagement of the entire government.
It also aims to connect all gram panchayats by broadband internet, promote e-governance and transform India into a connected knowledge economy. The estimated impact of Digital India by 2019 would be cross cutting, ranging from Wi-fi in schools and universities and Public Wi-Fi hotspots. The programme is expected to generate huge number of IT, Telecom and Electronics jobs, both directly and indirectly.
The Prime Minister also exhorted the captains of India’s IT industry to boost production of electronic devices and goods in the country, as part of the “Make in India” initiative, to reduce dependence on imports.
Modi noted that today, it was not enough for India to say that it is an ancient civilization, and a country of 125 crore with favourable demography. He said modern technology needs to be blended with these strengths.
Prime Minister reiterated his Government’s resolve to not allow the Digital Divide to become a barrier between people. He outlined his vision of e-governance and mobile governance, where all important Government services are available on the mobile phone.
“I dream of a digital India where High-speed Digital Highways unite the Nation; 1.2 billion connected Indians drive innovation; technology ensures the citizen-government interface is incorruptible,” the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister assured full support to young entrepreneurs who wished to launch Start-ups. He called upon the youth to innovate and said “Design in India” is as important as “Make in India.”
The Prime Minister unveiled the “Digital India” logo and released policy documents related to Digital India. He also felicitated two women CSC village level entrepreneurs.Earlier Finance minister Arun Jaitley said digital India will give ways to aspirations of common man. Mr Jaitley said this project will take India to greater heights.
Speaking on the occasion, Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani said his company will partner government in strengthening e-governance. Mr Ambani said Reliance will invest 2.5 lakh crore rupees in the digital India initiative.
Tata group chairman Cyrus Mistry said digital India has potential to take India forward. Wipro chief Azim Premji said Prime minister’s vision on digital India is a powerful one and it will be able to bridge the digital divide. Aditya Birla group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla said digital India has very exciting prospects.
Union Ministers Arun Jaitley, Ravi Shankar Prasad, J.P. Nadda, Thaavar Chand Gehlot, Jual Oram, and Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman were present on the occasion.
Aditya Birla Group will invest Rs 44,500 crores in the next five years in network rollout and infra and digital space, group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla said.
Anil Ambani’s Reliance Group committed to invest about Rs 10,000 crore over the next few years to expand its presence across digital, cloud computing and telecom space.
Airtel’s Sunil Mittal committed to t Rs 1 lakh crore in next 5 years in digital space, saying the group will work towards taking 4G to the masses..
Ping Cheng CEO of Taiwan-based Delta Electronic said his company is looking invest Rs 3180 crore in India over the next 10 years and create over 20,000 new jobs.
Tata group chairperson Cyrus Mistry too extended all help for the project by promising to hire 60,000 jobs this year.