Google partners with government to promote Digital India - Livemint

Digital India programme is focused on increasing high-speed Internet connectivity across the country, introducing digital classrooms, building smart cities, providing online delivery of services through the integration of government departments, and introducing online visas.

New Delhi: Google Inc. on Monday said it has tied up with the Indian government to promote Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’s Digital India programme.

The programme is focused on increasing high-speed Internet connectivity across the country, introducing digital classrooms, building smart cities, providing online delivery of services through the integration of government departments, and introducing online visas.

Google will run a series of initiatives, which include collaboration with the government’s new citizen engagement platform, MyGov.nic.in.

As a part of this, it will help launch a nationwide contest to develop a mobile app for the Prime Minister’s Office, help women and small and medium enterprises get online and showcase India’s heritage and culture through the digital medium.

Google, which will be working with the department of information technology and state governments, also plans to introduce curriculum on digital literacy and Internet safety for schools, and for officials and elected representatives.

“The Digital India programme has been launched with the vision of transforming India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy,” said R.S. Sharma , information technology secretary. “It can truly transform India and bring it on par with other developed countries. I’m happy Google is coming forward to roll out initiatives that will contribute to the Digital India vision. I’m sure others will come forward and join this moment.”

India has become one of the key markets for Google, which is evident from the company’s launch of Android One mobile operating system for low-cost smartphones in India earlier this month.

Rajan Anandan , vice president and managing director, Google India, said “India is already home to the third largest number of Internet users globally, with 245 million users as of June 2014. We are on track to become the second largest user market by 2015 and a 500 million-user market by 2016. Yet, there are more than a billion people who will need to be brought online for India to realize the vision of a digitally connected, knowledge economy. Prime Minister Modi’s Digital India programme will play a transformational role in achieving this, and we are excited to be making a meaningful contribution by rolling out several initiatives in collaboration with the government of India.”