Shaktikanta Das, Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) noted in a speech that, India has carefully crafted its Digital Public Infrastructure or DPI strategy by focusing on three critical dimensions - digital identity, bank accounts and processing infrastructure. Aadhar, India's biometric identity system provides a single and portable proof of identity. Around 1.4 billion Aadhaar numbers have been generated for the residents of India which is near universal for the Indian population. Similarly, access to banking system for the unbanked segments have been enabled through Jan Dhan accounts i.e. Basic Savings Bank Deposit (BSBD) Accounts. Under the Jan Dhan scheme, more than half a billion bank accounts have been opened for the beneficiaries.
Das noted with regard to processing infrastructure, basic connectivity has been ensured through availability of affordable mobile phones and internet. The number of mobile based internet users in India stands at around 0.9 billion4 in May, 2024, with mobile tele-density at 83 percent. Even in rural areas, the mobile tele-density is around 60 percent. The trinity of Jan Dhan Accounts, Aadhar and Mobile Phones, popularly known as the JAM trinity, has provided the base DPI infrastructure which is being leveraged for multiple value added services. Over 67 percent of the beneficiaries under the JAM trinity initiatives are from rural areas and over 55 percent are women. This clearly demonstrates the role of DPIs in promoting inclusion.
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