Will bring 6 cr rural youth under digital fold: Modi

Hyderabad: While stressing the need for rapid adaptation of emerging technologies at Indian IT companies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a target of making six crore youth in rural areas digital literate under the Pradhan Mantri Rural Digital Literacy Mission. Ten million people have already been trained under the scheme, said the Prime Minister.

Disruptive technologies such as blockchain and Internet of Things (IoT) will have a deep impact on our day-to-day life and rapid adaptation at our workplaces will be needed as India gearing up for the fourth industrial revolution, Modi said.

Modi in his inaugural address via video conference at the 22nd edition of the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT), dubbed as Tech Olympics, here on Monday, said: “Digital India Mission ensures Digital Inclusion benefiting every common man of the country.

India requires rapid adaptation of new technologies at our workplaces. Skilling youth and reskilling existing professionals for the requirements of 21st century is need of the hour. National Skill Development Mission prepares our children and youth for productive and bright future. We have already linked one lakh villages with fibre optic cable.

With 120 crore Aadhar card holders, 50 crore internet users, India is best placed to leverage the power of technology. The concept of ‘Vasudhaika Kutumbam’ reflects our inclusive tradition, and in the 21st century, technology is becoming an enabler for this concept, helping creating a seamless integrated world.”

Digital India is a journey bringing about digital inclusion for digital empowerment aided by digital infrastructure for digital delivery of services, said the Prime Minister. Highlighting the participation of the robot ‘Sophia,’ one of the ‘speakers’ at the conference, Prime Minister Modi said it shows the potential of new technologies.

“Professionals need to catch up with the changing nature of jobs in the emerging age of intelligent automation. The WCIT is being organised for the first time in the country and I am sure it shall be of mutual benefit to investors, innovators, think tanks and other stake-holders from across the world.”

On the occasion, the Prime Minister launched ‘futureskills,’ an online learning platform and an initiative of software industry body Nasscom. Futureskills offers training in advanced technologies. Recalling the advantage of technology applications, Modi said that 30 crore JanDhan accounts enabled the government to save Rs 15,000 crore as it avoided the middlemen and several layers of mechanism in taking welfare schemes to the citizens.

Highlighting the importance of Startup India Mission, Modi said: “We believe our start-ups are the key to finding viable and economical solutions across sectors and verticals.” “Leveraging the technology in such a holistic manner was unthinkable some years ago. We have successfully completed this lifecycle in last three-and-half-years. This has been possible through change in public behaviour and processes.

“Digital India has not remained merely an initiative of the government but has become a way of life. Technology has become inseparable part of people's lives. While most government initiatives depend on government push, Digital India is succeeding because of people’s pull,” Modi said.

India is the hot-spot of digital innovation across all sectors. We not only possess a growing number of innovative entrepreneurs, but also a growing market for tech innovation. India remains one of the most tech-friendly nations in the world, added PM Modi.