From a host of important developmental initiatives, programmes and projects taken up by our Government - like Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Atal Pension Yojana, MUDRA Bank Yojana, Garib Kalyan Yojana, Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Scheme, Pahal Scheme Jan Dhan Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Make in India, Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana – “ Digital India” is also one important programme. Digital India is a flagship programme of the Govt. of India. The campaign was launched on August 21, 2014. The idea is to change India into an electronically empowered economy. According to this programme, the Government of India wants all Government departments and the people of India to connect with each other digitally or electronically so that there is effective governance. It also aims at reducing paperwork by making all the Government services available to the people electronically. There is also a plan to connect all villages and rural areas through internet networks.
There are three major components of Digital India: Digital infrastructure, digital literacy and digital delivery of services. The Government plans to complete this project in five years. That is, by 2019, the Digital India project is expected to be fully functional.
The vision of Digital India is centred on three basic components:
1) Availability of high-speed internet as a core utility for delivery of services to citizens.
2) Cradle to grave digital identity that is. Unique, lifelong, online and authenticable to every citizen.
3) Mobile phone & bank account enabling citizen participation in digital & financial space.
4) Easy access to a Common Service Centre.
5) Shareable private space on a public cloud.
6) Safe and secure cyber-space.
Governance and Services on Demand
1) Seamlessly integrated services across departments or jurisdictions.
2) Services availability in real-time from online & mobile platforms.
3) All citizen entitlements to be available on the cloud.
4) Digitally transformed services for improving the ease of doing business.
5) Making financial transactions electronic & cashless and
6) Leveraging GIS for decision support systems & development.
7) Digital Empowerment of Citizens
Digital Empowerment of Citizens
1) Universal Digital Literacy
2) Accessible digital resources universally.
3) All documents/ certificates to be available on the cloud.
4) Availability of digital resources/services in Indian languages.
5) Collaborative digital platforms for participative governance and
6) Portability of all entitlements through the cloud.
Our state government is also gearing up to launch the “Digital India” Campaign by Department of Information Technology, Govt. of Manipur in co-ordination with Department of Electronics & Information Technology (DeitY), Govt. of India. The starting date of a week-long campaign is not finalised yet but we are expecting it in the month of June’15. State Level, District Level and Block level campaigns are in the platter to serve and reach out to the mass - Common People, local students, Panchayat and NGOs, etc. They are going to use all forms of media – print, audio & audiovisuals to have the optimum impact of the campaign. It’s going to be a participative and collaborative campaign as DIT is inviting support from all of us – NGOs, Private Organisation, Entrepreneurs, IT farms, and Telecom Service providers, etc.
A lot of thoughts, ideas and comprehensive vision from experts are seen coming forward together to leverage Information and Technology as a catalyst for a change in our State. But what I want to highlight here is about the Channel of communication – the Internet; the backbone of this programme. Let’s see a basic form of communication – David Berlo’s SMCR Model of communication: Sender – Message – Channel - Receiver
Unrestricted Internet Access is becoming a modern human right. The Internet can play a key role in mobilizing the people to call for justice, equality, accountability and respect for human rights. Other countries have taken steps further to make the Internet accessible to every citizen. Estonia passed a law in 2000, for example, that declared access to the Internet a basic human right. In 2009, France followed. Legislators in Costa Rica, in 2010, reached a similar decision. Finland made broadband a ‘legal right in 2010 and also made all telecommunication companies obliged to provide all residents with broadband lines that can run at a minimum 1Mbps speed.
Even if we have all the IT Enabled services and contents ready, without a concrete channel – Unrestricted Internet, dissemination of information to end-users won’t be as successful as we are assuming now. DIT, Manipur is ensuring to have equitable and inclusive growth by connecting substantial parts of Manipur through NICNET (National Informatics Centre Network) / NKN (National Knowledge Network)/SWAN (State Wide Area Network) networks. Majority of the people in our state get Internet service from Telecom Service Providers (TSP). Despite having many recommendations from TRAI (Telecom Regulatory of India), the quality and speed of Internet service provided by the TSPs in the state are not satisfactory. The status of teledensity of the NER (North Eastern Region) tells the tale. The poor teledensity and the quality of services reflect the problem of the telecommunication sector in NER as stated by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Govt. of India. In our state, if we drive down just 10 – 15 km from Imphal town, we’re not able to get internet. Even in Imphal town, there are many areas where people don’t get proper internet facility. TSPs are launching 3G services mostly in the dense and homogeneous markets. This creates a big wide gap of digital divide among the people of Manipur. Until and unless we have a mechanism to brigade this divide in the near future, I think, people won’t be benefited much from such programmes as speculated.
Study of Internet penetration in our state will help in forecasting the success of this programme. The speedy development of Digital Infrastructure can mitigate the bottleneck in any digital delivery of services. With strong political will, public participation and dedication from all the stakeholders, I’m sure, we all shall see a new DIGITAL MANIPUR!
Signing off with this thought - Will it create a cascade of change in Manipur? Let’s Act and Watch!
