Digital India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with young innovators at the grand finale of Smart India Hackathon - 2024 via videoconferencing on Wednesday, his office said. The seventh Smart India Hackathon will run concurrently at 51 centres nationwide, a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office said. Modi will interact with the young innovators at the grand finale via videoconferencing around 4:30 pm on Wednesday. More than 1,300 student teams will participate in the grand finale and the prime minister will also address the gathering. The Software Edition will run nonstop for 36 hours while the Hardware Edition will run from Wednesday to Sunday. Like past editions, the student teams will work on either the problem statements given by ministries, departments or industries or submit their own ideas in the Student Innovation Category against any of the 17 themes linked to sectors of national importance. These sectors are -- health care, supply chain and logistics, smart ...

World upbeat about India as investment destination, says PM Modi

The government on Wednesday said the 'e-Daakhil portal' -- an inexpensive, speedy and hassle-free mechanism for filing consumer complaints -- has been rolled out successfully in all states and union territories. The government is also working for launch of e-Jagriti, which will further streamline case filing, tracking, and management, ensuring a hassle-free experience for consumers and other stakeholders, it said. In a statement, the consumer affairs ministry said with the recent launch of e-Daakhil portal in Ladakh, the online platform is now accessible to consumers pan-India. The e-Daakhil, launched on September 7, 2020, is an innovative online platform designed to streamline the consumer grievance redressal process, providing an efficient and convenient way for consumers to approach the relevant consumer forum, dispensing the need to travel and be physically present to file their grievances. Currently, 2,81,024 users have registered on the e-Daakhil portal, and 1,98,725 cases ha

One crore digital life certificates have been generated by pensioners across the country during the month-long ongoing special campaign, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Tuesday. The minister had earlier this month launched the nation-wide digital life certificate campaign 3.0 for digital empowerment of pensioners. The campaign is being held in 800 cities/ towns of India from November 1-30. "Digital life certificate (DLC) introduced for convenience of pensioners and elder citizens has crossed the record one crore mark in the ongoing campaign," he said. Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel, said this landmark will go a long way in bringing ease of living for elder citizens and live up to the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as expressed by him in the recent episode of 'Mann Ki Baat'. Now, by enabling the digital life certificate, things have become very simple; the elderly do not have to go to the bank. Elderly do not face any problem on account of technology. Makin

Rapid digital expansion, including broadband and 5G network is expected to create around 1 lakh new job opportunities in fiber installation, maintenance, and repair segments in the next five years, according to TeamLease Services Chief Strategy Officer Subburathinam P. The India Telecom Market is estimated at USD 48.61 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 76.16 billion by 2029, growing at an annual rate of 9.40 per cent and as of 2023, about 7,00,000 kilometers of optical fiber cable has been laid across the country, significantly contributing to the expansion of digital infrastructure, he told PTI. "The annual growth rate of employment in the fiber optic technician segment is largely driven by the rapid expansion of broadband and 5G networks in India. As the government and telecom operators focus on expanding fiber infrastructure, the demand for fiber technicians is expected to grow significantly," Subburathinam said. The increasing fiberisation of telecom towers is expect

More than half of Goa's population no longer needs to visit government offices for various works as the state continues to expand the user base of its e-governance portal Goa Online', officials have said. Of the 16 lakh residents in the coastal state, about 8.6 lakh people are currently using the portal, offering 241 services, which ensures doorstep governance and improves transparency, they said. An initiative by state IT Minister Rohan Khaunte, the portal was launched in 2017 when the late Manohar Parrikar was the chief minister. His successor Pramod Sawant is taking it forward, said the officials. Goa Online is a single-window system and single-window platform, where all the services of the G2B (government to business) and G2C (government to citizen) are catered, said Sangita Shirodkar, manager (IT) of Goa Electronics Limited (GEL). A subsidiary of the state government, GEL has developed the Goa Online portal, which began with 11 online services, and maintains it, she said. The

The government's massive digitisation push has transformed India's Public Distribution System (PDS), setting new benchmarks for food security programs globally, the Union Food Ministry said on Wednesday. The overhaul of the system, which serves 80.6 crore beneficiaries, has led to the removal of 5.8 crore fake ration cards through Aadhaar-based authentication and electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) verification, it said in a statement. "These efforts have resulted in substantial reductions in leakages and enhanced targeting," the ministry added. According to the ministry, nearly all 20.4 crore ration cards have been digitised, with 99.8 per cent linked to Aadhaar and 98.7 per cent beneficiaries' credentials verified through biometric authentication. The ministry has deployed 5.33 lakh e-PoS devices across fair price shops nationwide, enabling Aadhaar-based authentication during distribution and ensuring the rightful targeting of beneficiaries. "Today Aadhaar authentication is use

For many authorities - whether financial regulators or those in charge of civil aviation, and even in some cases the local police - digital crime is a new frontier

At India Mobile Congress, he stressed on 'dos and don'ts' for technology on global level

India can play a role in supporting the global south in Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) development by technology transfer, knowledge sharing, and promoting the adoption of open source technologies, a top Ministry of External Affairs official said on Wednesday. Delivering his key note address at the Global Technology Summit Innovation dialogue co-hosted by the MEA and Carnegie India virtually, Special Secretary (ER and DPA), MEA, Periasamy Kumaran said how over the past decade and a half, DPI has evolved from a conceptual framework to a tangible, practical force, catalysing unprecedented innovation, driving improved public service delivery and promoting greater economic inclusivity and development. He noted that today, the DPI model has emerged as a key Indian value proposition and is being adopted and adapted by countries worldwide. "Based on our own experience during this period, for DPI based solutions to work and to produce the kind of outcomes in vision, we require three k

As part of the new agreement, Ericsson will upgrade Vi's existing 4G networks and introduce 5G in key areas, including Delhi, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan

The survey found that gold and property are the two most favoured assets when women entrepreneurs seek loans. The trend is most prevalent in Chennai, followed by Mumbai and Delhi

India is a high-performing market for Adobe in Asia-Pacific region and among the fastest-growing globally, Adobe India Vice-President and Managing Director, Prativa Mohapatra has said, adding that momentum on productivity, creativity and personalisation are driving digital opportunities across new sectors. In an interview to PTI, Mohapatra said India is a big innovation hub and a "great market" for Adobe. "Adobe in India is a microcosm of Adobe as a whole... Today we have research, we have products and the market... and it is the second-largest base for Adobe, beyond the US," Mohapatra said, asserting that the company's focus on talent and infrastructure investments in the country, continue. Describing Artificial Intelligence as "very transformative technology", she said the company is of the firm belief that AI has to be "responsible". "Technologies that are transformative have to be really dealt with very responsibly," Mohapatra said, pointing out that the company operates within

'India has been able to lift 800 million people out of poverty over the past five to six years simply by the use of smartphones,' said UNGA President Dennis Francis

Industry bodies Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) and PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PHDCCI) have signed a two-year agreement to foster the Indian startup and innovation ecosystem. The two-year memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed at PHD house New Delhi office, seeks to create an environment that fosters independent thinking and cultivates groundbreaking ideas across various sectors of the Indian economy. ADIF associate director Prateek Jain said the alliance is a crucial step to democratise India's digital entrepreneurship landscape. "This MoU goes beyond conventional support mechanisms and focuses on architecting a holistic ecosystem that nurtures innovation at every stage of a startup's journey. By leveraging PHDCCI's vast industry connections and our digital expertise, we are laying the groundwork for unprecedented growth and innovation in India's startup scene," Jain said. The initiative will involve workshops, training sessions, and seminars designed to ..

Describing it as a project for posterity, India on Saturday donated digital equipment, including 2,000 Tabs, worth Rs 300 million for use by 200 schools in the southern province of Sri Lanka. A ceremony in the southern district of Galle, attended by President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha, marked a significant step towards educational modernisation, with the provision of 200 Smart Classrooms and 2,000 Tabs to 200 schools in the Southern Province. Following a request by the Minister of Health and Industry, Dr Ramesh Pathirana, the Government of India allocated Rs 300 million to the Southern Provincial Council for this project. Of the 200 selected schools, 150 are in the Galle district, while the remaining 50 are in the Hambantota and Matara districts, a statement from the President's Media Division (PMD) said. Additionally, 2,000 Tabs were distributed, with each of the 200 classrooms receiving 10 Tabs, the statement said. We deeply appreciate the supp

Industry body DIPA has pledged its support to India's digital and telecom transformation under the new government and sought a clear roadmap that would cement the country's lead in digital infrastructure. Digital Infrastructure Providers Association (DIPA) said the industry is eager to collaborate with the government and contribute its expertise to drive the country's digital transformation further. "Revolutionary policies like Digital India, Gati Shakti, and PM WiFi Access Network have enabled widespread adoption of digital infrastructure, empowering individuals and businesses across sectors, from small vegetable vendors to grocery stores," Tilak Raj Dua, Director General of DIPA said. The telecom industry in India has undergone transformative reforms over the past few years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, he said expressing confidence that the new government "will build upon this momentum, ensuring the seamless implementation and sustained success of these landmar

The Adani Group plans to offer new services through its consumer app, Adani One, which was launched in late 2022. The app currently offers travel services such as flight and hotel bookings

Capital markets regulator Sebi on Friday relaxed the digital onboarding process for clients of portfolio managers, a move aimed at facilitating ease of doing business. While onboarding clients, portfolio managers will have to ensure that new clients use a typed or electronically written note saying that they have understood the fee structure rather than the current practice that focuses on clients giving the same in their own handwriting. The change, aimed at making digital onboarding easier, would become effective from October 1, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) said in a circular. The move came after Sebi observed certain operational challenges in complying with the requirement of a handwritten note on the annexure of fees in the agreements, including the non-availability of a stylus at the location of the investors. This requirement was creating a hindrance towards the complete digital onboarding of the clients. "While on-boarding a client, portfolio manager sh

Chess ecosystem offers lessons for others sports