#DigitalIndiaWeek: PM tells us why we need Digital India

Pitching India as the next Silicon Valley of the world as Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Digital India Week on Wednesday. And while he called for investments in building Digital India, he made a remark that actually makes us all think—“If Indians can work in Google. Why can’t Google be made in India?”

As per a report by ET, launching the project that aims at creating India that is digitally connected, he further added, “I dream of a Digital India where high-speed digital highways unite the nation....I dream of a Digital India where 1.2 billion connected Indians drive innovation...I dream of a Digital India where government is open and governance is transparent...I dream of a Digital India where technology ensures government is incorruptible...I dream of a Digital India where rural economy has access to e-healthcare...I dream of a Digital India where world looks to India for the next big idea.”

He noted, “Just like Make in India is important, design in India is also important. The world recognises India's IT talent.”

Aiming to connect the poor with technology, PM Modi said, “It is government's duty to make rural India benefit from digital drive. People used to debate why does a poor nation like India need to send satellites? But, now that satellites forecast weather, it benefits the poor farmer.”

He further stated, “I am confident that all the citizens of this country will be able to fulfil their dreams through Digital India. We aim to change India's future. Demographic dividend needs digital strength.”

He explained that importance of digital connectivity and emphasized that access to technology is extremely important for a poor, if India wanted to bridge the wide gap between its rich and poor.

"We need to embrace the change that digital connectivity can bring. Now towns will come alongside places where the optical fibre network is present....Banking will soon go paperless....We can reduce the burden of students with Digital India...I can envision a world where people will store products in digital godowns," PM Modi said.

He also noted that the project is extremely important for Modi’s efficient governance mantra—Minimum government and maximum governance. “E-governance is easy governance and economic governance. We have to empower citizens." "E-governance will soon become m-governance, that is mobile governance," he averred.