Digital India challenge: Build on the gains, address shortcomings

THE Digital India initiative was launched by the Narendra Modi government in 2015 with the aim of using technology to make life easier for every Indian. Over the past decade, the flagship project has played a key role in empowering citizens in more ways than one. Digital payments, in particular, have become virtually indispensable across the country. The numbers are staggering: in April this year, more than 1,860 crore UPI transactions worth around Rs 25 lakh crore were made; in 2023, India handled 49 per cent of the global real-time transactions; nearly 46 crore people and 6.5 crore merchants are using UPI.

Rapid strides have also been made in the field of governance, which has become more transparent and people-friendly. Access to healthcare, education, banking and other services has improved significantly. However, the mission of bridging the digital divide remains a work in progress. Nearly half of the women living in rural areas do not own a mobile phone, according to the Comprehensive Modular Survey: Telecom, 2025, whose findings were released by the National Statistics Office a month ago. Another eye-opener is the 2023-24 report of the Unified District Information System for Education Plus, which comes under the Ministry of Education. It says that only 57.2 per cent of the schools in the country have functional computers, and 53.9 per cent have Internet access. The Congress has pointed out that under the BharatNet project, 6.55 lakh villages were to be targeted for broadband connectivity, but two-third of them are yet to be covered. The party has also highlighted the plight of BSNL, which continues to lag behind private players despite getting one revival package after another.

The government has many reasons to pat itself on the back for Digital India’s progress, but it would be well advised to take note of the shortcomings and gaps. Removing disparities within the digital ecosystem would be a welcome step towards fulfilling the grand dream of Viksit Bharat.

Editorials