Digital India is one of the most ambitious programs of Government of India. It envisions transforming India into a digitally empowered society and knowl- edge economy. To achieve this, the program focuses on three key areas: digital infrastructure as a utility to every citizen, governance and services on demand and digital empowerment of citizens. Several key projects have already been initiated under “Digital India” program. The most important project is the “Bharat Net” which is a high-speed digital highway to connect all 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats in the country. Once completed and operational, it would be the world’s largest optical fiber network connecting the rural India. It will ensure broadband connectivity with adequate bandwidth provision to improve the quality of life of rural people through various ICT applications such as e-governance, e-banking, e-education, e-commerce and tele-medicine. Increase in broadband penetration in rural India will result in significant increase in GDP as reported by a World Bank study. Additionally, BSNL is in the process of upgrading its landline telephone exchange to IP (Internet Protocol)-based Next Generation Network (NGN) to provide voice and data multimedia services. It has also undertaken large-scale deployment of Wi-Fi hotspots across the country to access the Internet using mobile phones. In support of “Digital India” program, Reliance Jio has launched advanced 4G broadband mobile network which will contribute immensely to Internet connectivity across the country.

A large number of e-governance projects have been implemented during the past decade to provide easy and transparent access to government services. With “Digital India” program, e-governance initiatives are given further momentum so that more and more people could take advantage of it. “Aadhaar”-based authentication is going to play a significant role in accessing these e-governance services online. For example, Online Registration System (ORS), an e-hospital application, uses Aadhaar-based authentication and provides important services such as online registration, payment of fees and appointment, online diagnostic reports and enquiring availability of blood online. The online portal MyGov.in has been implemented as a platform for engagement of citizens in governance through a “Discuss”, “Do” and “Disseminate” approach.
A citizen using the mobile App for MyGov can avail these features. Efforts are underway to make all financial transactions above a threshold electronic and cashless, link bank accounts to Aadhaar and make the economy more transparent.

While “Digital India” is a noble idea, characteristics such as rural India, illiterate India and dishonest India pose many challenges to the government which need to be addressed. Additionally, security in the cyberspace remains a global challenge and has become more severe in the Indian context due to the above-said characteristics. The government needs to enact effective cyber security laws, and ensure powerful security policies and mechanisms to counter malicious attacks, safeguard digital assets and provide swift protection to citizens in the event of financial fraud. More importantly, the digital literacy program must be a mass movement to make “Digital India” a great success.

In this issue, the paper, “E-Commerce Explosion and Indian Consumer: An Explanatory Study”, by Ivaturi Murali Krishna and G V Chalam, provides a detailed account of growth in e-commerce ecosystem in the country.

The next paper, “Influence of E-Learning on the Learning and Development Aspects of IT Professionals”, by Sirisha Damaraju, P Sai Rani and T Narayana Reddy, presents a survey-based study and finds that IT professionals are more motivated to take up an e-learning course if it leads to certification and the company is willing to pay the cost incurred.

The paper, “Racing Ahead with Technology: Digital HR Through Smartphones”, by Priyanka Bhatia, discusses digital HR over traditional HR practices and provides a SWOT analysis of it.

Finally, the last paper, “Telecom Regulations and Its Impact on the Growth of the Economy: An Indian Perspective”, by Rasananda Panda and Durva Shastri, provides an elaborate analysis of the transformation process the telecom sector has undergone in India. It also reveals that the sector has changed from a monopolistic to a competitive environment in order to benefit its stakeholders.

-- A C Ojha
Consulting Editor