PM Modi bootstraps Bengaluru tech summit in virtual mode

Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday unveiled the 23rd edition of the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2020 in virtual mode through video-conferencing from New Delhi amid the Covid pandemic.

Leveraging the digital technology, Modi also addressed the gathering in this tech city and in virtual world, which included Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Swiss Confederation vice-president Guy Parmelin.

"Thanks to digital technology, India has been able to scale up faster in the service delivery to people across the country. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, the government has been able to help citizens through Ayushman Bharat for medical assistance efficiently thanks," said Modi in English.

Recalling that the Union government had started the Digital India initiative 5 years ago to transform a citizen's life in terms of ease of work and service delivery, the prime minister said the flagship programme had become a way of life in the country.

"Our resilient technology industry was able to overcome difficulties caused by the pandemic and enabled employees to work from home and from anywhere. This has become a new norm and is going to stay. We will see a high amount of tech adoption in education, agriculture and other sectors," asserted Modi.

Noting that India had an advantage in innovation, the prime minister said he was confident that the Indian IT sector would keep the country proud with the talent and zeal of its techies to innovate.

"Through technology, we have enhanced human dignity. Crores of farmers receive monetary support in a click. At the peak of the lockdown, it was technology that ensured that our poor received proper and quick assistance. The scale of this relief has few parallels," reiterated Modi in his 20-minute talk.

Union IT and Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, state Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ahswath Narayan, state Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar and other dignitaries and invitees participated in the inaugural event of the 3-day summit.