Digital literacy mission is a key component of digital India initiative: Ravi Shankar Prasad

NEW DELHI: Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has articulated the ‘Digital India’ initiative of the government to transform India into a digitally empowered society.

Speaking at the ‘Future Unleashed’ Technology Conference organized by Microsoft to commemorate its 25 years of operations in India, Prasad said the government was working towards connecting all the 2.5 lakh gram panchayats through Bharat Net optic fibre network.

He also said nearly 1.25 lakh post offices will be digitized.

Outlining the efforts undertaken by the government, he said the ‘Digital Saksharata Abhiyan’ was geared towards making at least one person in every household digitally literate.

Prasad reiterated Prime Minister’s digital equation that IT (Information Technology) + IT (Indian Talent) = IT (India’s Tomorrow)

Prasad said that support for regional languages was imperative to take the whole of India to the digital age. He said a country as diverse as India with 22 official languages would require some efforts in localization of contents.

Prasad appealed to Microsoft to develop software in regional languages to promote digital inclusiveness.

The Minister laid stress on innovation in developing low cost technologies that would help in taking the Digital India to the doorstep of the poorest of the poor.

He said Microsoft’s theme for celebrating 25 years in India goes very well with the philosophy of the government.

Addressing the tech gathering, India born Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella said that Indian startups and e-commerce space was one of the most exciting spaces in the world and added that Microsoft was prepared and eager to work with e-commerce companies that enabled small businesses to scale up their operations.

At the event, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis underlined his government’s commitment for the Digital India initiative.

He said 42 government services have been brought online in Maharashtra and spoke about his vision to bring all government provided services on a single platform.

Noted industrialist Anand Mahindra stressed on democratization and decentralization of technology in connecting citizens and government.

Future Unleashed 2015 is a large technology gathering of industry leaders, policy makers and IT professionals, giving glimpse of future of business and technology.