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.-r-'-- :'z --ier_-; i*;:n July l, 2015, theIndian Prime Ministerinaugurated theDigital India week.Digital technologiesor Digitalization,rhe

Wjay Kumar Kaal

illileratcs in India is huge. A largenumber ofyouths are withoutjobs. Thispanicularproblen is going to incrcasein the conring years. On top of this,iDtegration wilh the global economyhas further assravated the problems ofmarginalised sections of socicly. FigurcI has demonstratcd the socio e.onomi.challenges India is facing.

As can be imagined, the solutionsto these problems are noi straightfbrward. Also, many of these problemsare linked with one another. Forinstance, the problems of poverty,inclusive growth, food security andjob creation are linked with ouragricultural and agri ecosystem. Thesolutions require reforms in agricultureand its whole ecosyslem. This needsa comprehensive policy frameworkthat would simultaneously impacl andaddress these inter-related problems.Disital technolosies havc brouslrtabout a big changc in the govemance

Indialitces several socio-economic system at the fim, industry. ciry and

and environmental challenges. It has economy. These technologies havethe largest number of poor people in turtherfacilitaled the implementation ofthe world. A large number of Indian govemmentschemes andprogrammes.children still suffer from malnutritio, Summing up, it can be said that theIf wc consider the cases of mary present socio-economic challcngcsdiseases likc tuberculosis, cancer before the country can be solvedand diabeles, we will find that India with lhc help ofgood govemance thatleads all other nations. Though over focuses on appropriate public policics,a period oftime, we have improved programs and schcme aDd on use ofour literacy rat€, still tbc number of modem technologies, to deliver these

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latest wave of innovation that isconnecting pcople. products andservices, is a resull of convergingof the Information Tcchnology,tclecommunication. intemel and otherrehtcd technologies. This is a pafl ofthe technological revolution, whichis cuncntly in operation The articleaims at examining the role ofmodemdigitaliation technologies in solvingsocio-economic problens of India,focusing on the question: Is it likelyto help in providing inclusive growrhto pcoplc oflndia and thereby bring inthe desircd social change?

Socio-economic Challenges! InclusiyeGrowth and the Nerv Technology

Tte author has served as Dean. Faculty ofApplied So.ial Sciences and Humanities, and Head of the Deparimenl of BusinessEconodics. Unive6ity of Delhi. For over 36 yeare, hc has bccn teaching, researching and ollering consultancy in rhe fields ofinnovation. enteprenenrship, small business, indu$ial cluste.s, inrernational busines. and staregic nanagement. In 2012. he wasawarded a G20 Global Leader Feuowship by the Governmeni ofSotrrh Korea and was alliliated to Korean Development Insliiute(KDI), Seoul. Curently. hc is working on India\ Divenity, Innovalion and Public Policy.

YOJANA Augusi 2015 t9

tschemes and programs. Ail this willresull in an all ronnd inclusive growth

llodcrn lerhDologies rDd tndin,\

Keeping nr mind thc socio-econoniccharacterislics of India, the countryneeds specific types of tcchnologiesto achieve inclusive growth. MckinseyGlobal Instirulc has idenlilicd l2disruptive technobgies for India thalhavc the potential for rapid adoptionwithin a sel time liancL.

There arc twelve empoweringtechDologies tbr India that can becategorized inlo three lypcs: (i)technologies that "digitise litt andwork. (ii) smart physical sysrenrs.and (iii) tcchnologies for rethinkinqenersy (Sce table l). Here, fburtechnologics have particular rclevancein Indian contcxt: technologies ofdigital paymenls. verifiable digitalidenlity, intelligcnt transportalion anddislribution. and advanced cls. A1l thefour tcchnologies arc likely to rcachrapid adoption in the coming decadc.A few othcr technologics advancedrobotics. auk)nomous vchicles. 3Dprinting,andadvancedmatcrials areatso poientially important lbr India.

The l2 empowering technologiesfor India have thc porential to crcatebotb economic and social value thatcan help India achicve its goals ofrapid ecoDomic growth, greater socialinclusion. and better governance by2025.

I)igitnl lndir:,1\n Altrmpt to Erphit

Digital India Program starred bythe Govemmcnt oflndia is an attemplto use technology for the bcnefit ofpeofle in order to overcome someof thc clallenges facing the counlry.The program chans a roadmap to a

digital India where a disitally lireralpopulation can leverage techDologyior endless possibilities. Our politicallcaders ha\]e nride it clear lhat thebroadband highways are as imponantas natnnral highways and that rvhilethe cnd goal is to oilerbetrer serviccs,foster innovation and gcnerate morcjobs. The crilical enabler is going tobc the technology and the foundationlo a digital nation will be the laying ola pan India nelwork.

Thc Digital India Progranr isproviding digital irliastructure as auiility to cvcry individual. deliveringgovemance and services on demandaDd enabling the digital empolvementof citizens. Thc project has identifiednine pillars fbr growth. Onc keyarea in the focus of the govemmentis lhe dcvelopment of broadbandhighrvays that will cover 250.000 GramPanchayats by December 2016 TherewiU be a grcat.rfocus on incrcasingrhebroadband pcnetration in urban areasthrough the deployment of mandaledcommunication inliastructure in ncwbuildings. Broadband penetrationwillallow tcchnology-enabled servicesto be rollcd out to the rcnote partsof the country. The governncnt is

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also focused on providing univcrs:acccss to mobile.onnectiviry. Bi2018, more than 40,000 villages ar:likely to bc under the banner ofmobi.:technology.

In a nutshell, digitalization is:new rvave of innovaiion and can h:compared !\,ith the inrrovation in thiform of mechanizarion and electric \in the 19'i'century. Thc lechnologicadcvclopment are evohrlionary howeverits impact on changc in society i:

,\qriculturc xn{l Ilurn

Underslandinlr of lndian asncultuleand its agro-ecosystem is very importanrlbr examining thc issues of India s

poverty, inclusile growth and foodsecurily problems. Thc rcnl solutiorto these problems requires, first oiall, that we not jtrst develop a singl.model. but should consider severaliDnovalive models dcpcnding on thercsourccs available in lhc .egion, inordcr to alleviate povcrty. providedcccnt livelihoods and cxlcnd iruefood sccurity to the peoplc of tharregion. Itl lhe past, lndian agriculturalpolicy largcly focused on grains ibrfood security conccrnsr Il failed tonotice that drere was high inflationin thc casc of high-value agriculturalproducts. Pcoplc are also not getlingfood with cDough high nutrition. Thehigh value products, unlike grains, areperishable and requirc tast movingsupply liDes. The whole agro-lrluechain slarting from the t'armers, thcmiddlemen. the warehouses to the foodprocessing entreprcneurs, the retailersand the end-consunrers Deeds to beunderslood holislically to develop therisht kind ofpolicy. Thc addition olthe govemmenl, othcl finaDciers andlraders as stakeholders conv€rts thevalue chaiD into an ecosystem. Everystake holder has a role to play andcontribution to make 10 sustain thiswhole ecosystenr. Modern iechnologycan help in making agro value chainmore efficient and competitive.

Mckinsey GIobal Instilute hascalculated that hybrid and geneticallymodified crops, prccision farming

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20 YOJANA Augusl2015

(usins se'rsors and GIS-based soil.weather and watcrdatalo guide hnningdecisions). aod nrobile lnternet-basedfarm exlens ion and market informationsc.vices can help crcate morethanhalfthc S45 billion to SE0 billion per yearin additional lalue the sector couldrealire iD 2025 The remainder wouldcome lionr imp.ovements to slorageand dislribution systems. which couldcut post-harrest losscs and relorms tothe public dislribulion systern to reducelcakage. iogether saving as much as

S32 millior per year in 2025. Theseimprolemcnts could raise rhe incomeofas any as I00 million tarmers andbring better nulfltion 1o 100 million to400 million consumers.

Use ol rechDology can be vcryeffeclive evcn in proriding cropinsurance 1o hrmcrs. Assessing cropdamaae through all r.earher stations.saiellite/drone inragcry and mobile-bascd trxnsi_ers. on the lop of crop,c utl1ng cxperim ents. can pul thc wholesystem on sound scientific ground and

Digital India plallbm also iniends

1o empower the rural citizens lhrougha variety ol sc.vices. While thcgovernment is kecn to cover largescctiors of the populatior for theseservices through the digital platfonnin areas such as impro!ed govemance.land records.lobs. healih, educaiion indagriculrure and di gitization of persooaland public records lbr safckeeping.thcrc would be innunerable avcDueslbr buddnrg enhepreneurs as wcu as

existing busnress to service the ruralmarkels as nc!er before

M!nufacturirg Ecosystcm

Dill renteconomists and institutionshave cstimatedthal in ihencxt 5 yean.a Iarge n unbcr of youth, both boys andgirls. shall be loinnrg the workfbrcc.This necessrlates hrdia to look closelyat thc manufacturiog scct(r and itsecosystcm. The global nanufactu ingsyslem isDrolingaway lionr the earliermodel coDsistinE of one companyand it various suppliers. financersand consunrers /o n model consisiingof a manufacturing ecosyslem.Digrlalisation has empowered thistransition. Indian companies and

policy makers need to lcarn it fast tobe competitive in the Drarkct dnd forcrcating more jobs for the ]oulh Tlrenrodem tcchDologiescan help here andit is found that Indiln companies arefast adopting the technoloey.

Today s changed d ig iia lizedbusiness environmcnt demands a

change in the way conrpanics operate.The value chain is being broken,rc-assembled and re-invenied in allindustries. New sources of valuecrcatnrn by breaking existing valuechains. creatnrg nerv value chains byusing othcr sources of value and byj oin ing valLre chains ofother industries- is becoming inpoiant.

In ihis context. the govcnnncntpolicy should be designed to promotethe wholc manufacturing ecosystemthat will result in higher iob creationand make our industries sloballycompetiiive. Special attention needs1o be given 1o small and mediumentcprises and their linkages with largescale cnrcrprises. The promotion ofthe lnanutacruring ecosystem conceptwillhelp in idenlilying the saps n the

r. lfu 1: f*eke techmloql6 omDoryertns Indi.Digiti2ing Life and Inexpensive and increas in8 Iy capab le mobiledevices and internet connectivity

enable senices to reqch individuals ed enterprises anywhere

Computiry capacity, stoEge, and application delivered as a service over anelwork or the tntemet, oflen at substantially lo{crcost

Autofr ation of knowledge lnielligent sotwde for unshuctured analysis, capable oflalguage interpretationand iudgment-based iasksr potential to improve decilion ouality

Digital paFenls Widely accepted and reliable electonic payment systeds tfiat can b ngmillionsof unbankedlndianeoutofthecasheconom!

veritiable Disital ldentity Digital identity that can be verified usi.g simple methods, e.abling securedelivery of palments and access to lovemmenl services

Networks oflow-cost sensors and actuators ro manage machines and objects.using continuous dala collection and analvsis

IDleLligent TEnsportation and Digilal servi.es, used in conjunction wilh the inremet ofrhings. to inffeaseefilciency and safety oflransDonation and distribulion systeDB

intbrmation systems (GIS)Slslems that combnre location data with other lWes ofdata to marage resourcesand physical activities acros geosraphic spaces

Next geneEtion genomios Fast,low cosr gene sequencing and advanced genetic technologies ro improveagricullural productivily improvirglndiat energy secnriry

AdvAnced Oiland CasExploration and Recovery

Techniques that make exfaction ofuncoDventional oil ud gas (usually rrom.hdle) e.olonic" , Dorerrdl,y rmprov,ne Indid'( e )era1 \/. ., 'vGeneratiot of electricity{ronl renewable sou.ces to reduce hanntul climaleimpaciand bring power to remote areas nol coDnecred to tle grid

Advanced E.eley Slorase Deviccs or systems of energy storage and maragement that reduce poverotrrages, variability in supplx anddisrribution losses.

t. AL. lndia's technology opportunit):'lrflnsformlng work, empowernE leoplc, Mctinseqy Quanerly,ltJckinseli slobal

YOJANA Augusr 20l5 )1

linkages tharneed to be addressed and

supporred. The Problems of finance,raw marerials, land and linkages wiihthe user markels need to be resolved.

The likely adoption ofcoods and

Services Tax (GST) in India is goi.gto be very important and helpful roIndia's business and corporate sector toscale up and to be competitive. This ispossibl€ again with the use ofmodemtechnology. Moreover, the DigiralIndia program focuses on achievingthe governmenfs stated target of net

zero imporrs by giving electronicsmanufacturing due importance and

emphasis that ir desefles This focus

will boost India's manufacturingcapabilities and transfonn the natioflinto a manufacturing hub. As part oftheprogram, the govemment will focus oncultivating an lT-ready workforce bytraining people in smaller towns and

villages with IT for jobs over the next

Education and Skill Formation

There are huge learning crisisand quality issues in our educationsyslem. There are weak school leaming

outcomes, 1ow employabili9 of workeEwith higher education, large vocationaltraining gaps elc,. Digitalization has

provided immense oPPortunity torevitalize India\ education system.

lnnovative disital technologies have

cr€ated new forms ofadaptive and peer

leaming, increasing access to trainersand mentors, providing useful datain real timc. Govemment of lndia\inidnrive 'Digiial lndia' can facililatesuch transfonnation in Indian education

systen bY creating an enablingenvironnenracross IDdia. Wirh proper

thinkiDg and implementation, new

technology can be used to imProv€student leaming, buildingteachers'andmefltors' capacity a.nd providing beit€rgovemance. There is need to have acoordinated and targeted approach tointegrate technology into our vast and

complex school system and highereducational institutional network.Such an approach can be built on three

pillarsl

Thel/s1 important aspect is the

creation of instructional tools forindividualized student leaming. This

22

involves production of e-content such

as digitized lextbooks, animarionsand videos. New rechnology has

been beneficial in creating individualIearning Fths for stud€nts, makingleaming inreractive and fun lhroughgamification. It provides ihemnumerous praciice opportunities lnIndia. we can also build leaming tools

to address the diversity of languages

The seco,./ aspect of integraiedapproach is to develop tech-integratedprogrammes for competenc)-linkedteacher trarnrng. Technology allowsfor reinventing models of teachers'

"-ducarion by creating competency_linked training programmes. It enables

teachers to connect with Peers, and

receive coaching from exPerts,remotely. In certain states like Gujarat,Uttarakhand and Maharashtra, ther€are inslances ofnew technology such

as whatsApp groups being used inorder to exchanse knowledge and

ideas with one anothe. The Kamatakaopen Educational Resources platformis enablrns teachers to create dreital

content. ih€re are different models

of such rechnology-use that includesinstructionai vjdeos. online coachinsand peer supporr Blended learningwith MOoCs tmassive open onlinecourses) can bdng hish-quality courses

io students, and leaming simulationscan boosthands on training in nursingand other disciplifles.

The lri,'d use of t€chnologyadoptron is data (ollection and analvsis

for strong governance. Wrth rhe help

of robust Management lnformationSlstems, all educatronal rnstitutions.,n re.ord mamtam. track andanalvse

student-level performance data aDd

use it for institution-wide goals as

well as teach€r-classroom-specificgoals. Kerala, Maharastra, Gujarat and

Odisha have taken steps to implement

Delivery ofHealth Care Services

Based on intemational standards,

lndia has just about half the doctors.

nurses. and health-care centers that itneeds for its population. Also, existingfacilities are not gear€d to deliveroplimal helth outcomes. Disruptive

tech.ologies could transform deliveryol publrc health servrces. e\tendingcare rhrough remole health ser!ices(delivering expert consultalions viathe nobile Internet), digital lools thatenahle healih-care workers with modest

skills io carry oui basic protocols, and

low-cosi diagnostic devices that workwith smanphones. For inst3nce, it is.ossible to conven the smartphoneinto an affordable eye test solutior'An oDtrc devrce. Netrac, can be

plugeid into a smanphone and using

software and basic optic tecbnologv,one can measure the refractive enorof an eye - all at a cost ofless than

{300. For those requiring more than

iust eye glasses, the patienas data can

be shared $i$ remore experts in real

time. But this will be possible as and

when we become a networked societ/.Dicitization rs aimed ar rmpro!inghe;lrh care delivery, qualiry and safetv,

and also facilitating rhe neasurementofquality and safety metrics.

E-governance

Thus. the declared objective ofDrgrtallndia is to translorm tndia intoa'disiullyempowered socrety, preparing

ir for 'knowledge tuture'. Digital Indiaappears to be an aggregation of alle-govemance and connectivitv plans

and projects ofthe Central goYemment.

For instance. BSNL'S rural broadband

connectivity proj€ct using optical fibreto connect2,50,000 Cram Panchayats

has be€n brought under the Digitallndia unbrella and rechristened as

Bharat-Net. The basic thought behind

e-govemance or digital empowermenlofcitizens is ro bring citizens and ihe

sovemment closer bv remoring lavers

ifred tape, rntermediaries and ending

corruption or rent seeking.

The e-govemanc€ formaUy began

in lndia in 1986 with the openingof rhe fiisr conputerized railwayoasseneer reseftation system in New

Delhi. Thrs rndigenously desrgned.

develoDed and executed prolect $asih. first demonsiration ot the abilittof comouter technolog) t^ cut downdelays, corrupnon and rnefficiencvin delrlery ofa p'rblrc service. The

comouterizatLon of land records under

tle bloomi proiect,n Kamaoka is

another example of highly successtuI

YOIANA August 2015

e-govemance program. These projects have turther bloomedith the arrival ofintemet, broadband and mobile teclnology,

and have served as models ofe-govemance foroth€rutiliti€sand srater.'1he economic rmpacl ofe-govemmenr services

would enhance competitiveness and create a positive pro-business environment.

Conclusion

Looking at the five sectors, namely, agriculture,manufacturing, education, health cares and governmentservices, ir is obvious that the application of the newdigital technologies is going to transform these seclors.

The inefficiencies and sbortcomings in these sectors can be

overcome by application of technology. It will transformIndian agriculrure and improve the livelihood and iivingstandards of rural areas. Manufacturing will be morecompetitive andwill increase its scale along with providingmore job opponunities. Qual,ty and learning issues in

education can be tackled by digital technologies. Healtbcare

facilities can be made affordabl€ and accessiblelo remotest

comers of the country Provision of govemment services

can be improved substantially. ln brief, technologywill helpin achieving inclusne gro\rrh wi(h substantral economrcprogress, along with stable governance, inclusive and

accessible heallhcare, educalion and ciliTen senrces.

ln order to achieve the full benefit ofthe new modemtecbnologies, it is imperative to build physical inliastructurefor the digital economy, remove the possible barriersto technology adoption and provide effective policies,regulations, and standards for monitonng and controllingthe ill-efects of t€chnoiogy, whether intended orunintended.There is also a need to create a vibrant innovation €cosystem.

As India is a multilingual counny, ther€ is a need toweave multi-lingual capabilities to spread information,knowledge and opportunities. There is also a need lo integrate

traditional systems into modem systems thar will simplifyvarious aspects of govemance-be it building an efficienlrublic dislriburion qlslem, aulomating work. transformingihe urban-rural livrne environment or delivering berrer

healthcar€. lt must be mentioned here that in the Westem

countries, the adoption ofdigital teclnologies has improvedefiicjencies and productivity along with reduction in jobs

for people. ln lndia, it is expected that in the m€dium term,ir iigoing to increase morejob opportunjrres. This criricalasp€cr needs ro be paid special attenlion and wilh grear

responsibiliry.

Endnotes

Noshir Kaka, e!. Al., India's lechnology opportuniiv:Transforming work, empowering p€op)e. Mckinsey Quadedv,Mckinsey global Instilute, December 2014

Ashok Gulati, Revampins asriculture and PDS, minl, April 30,

2014. yllautEllliltloaAshok Gulati and PremaTesay, Tech the f,m insurance route,

the financial express. July6,2015Dhawan,AshishandNamitaDalmia,The Digilal Indiapush for

2.

3.

4.

l.

education. The financialexpres, July 8,2015.5. Dinesh C Sharma, ln the Clouds. Deccan Herald. 6 Julv

20t5 a(E-hait:ka iat@ldhoa cob)

YoJANA August 2015

PRAGATI

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