Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said disruptive technologies such as blockchain and Internet of Things will have a deep impact on the way "we live and work", and "rapid adaptation" at our work places will be needed to keep up with them.
Speaking through video conference after inaugurating the 22nd edition of the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) here, Modi said, "We will require rapid adaptation in our workplaces. Skilling citizens for the workforce of future is important. In India we have launched the National Skill Development Mission to prepare our children and youth for productive and bright future. We also need to ensure that our existing workforce is able to re-skill as new technologies emerge."
The robot 'Sophia', one of the 'speakers' at the conference, shows the potential of new technologies, he said.
"Disruptive technologies such as blockchain and the Internet of Things (IoT) will have a deep impact in the way we live and work," Modi said.
He stressed the need to reflect on the changing nature of jobs in the emerging age of intelligent automation.
"The WCIT is being organised for the first time in the country and I am sure it shall be of mutual benefit to investors, innovators, think tanks and other stake-holders from across the world," he said.
The prime minister also complimented software industry body Nasscom for identifying eight key technologies like artificial intelligence, IoT, virtual reality and big data analytics, and 55 job roles that would be in high demand globally.
"I am sure the skills of future platform will greatly help India maintain its competitive edge," he said.
Digital technology is now at the heart of every business, and how India can prepare its millions of small and medium businesses for this transformation in a short time is a key issue, he said.
"We believe our start-ups are the key to finding viable and economical solutions across sectors and verticals," the prime minister said while highlighting the Startup India initiative.
The concept of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' reflects India's inclusive tradition, and in the 21st century, technology is becoming an enabler for this concept, helping creating a seamless integrated world, Modi said.
With over 1 lakh villages linked with optical fibre, 120 crore Aadhaar card-holders and 50 crore Internet users, India is the best place to leverage the power of technology and leap forward into the future, he said.
"Digital India is a journey bringing about digital inclusion for digital empowerment aided by digital infrastructure for digital delivery of services," he said.
"Leveraging the technology in such a holistic manner was unthinkable some years ago. We have successfully completed this life-cycle in last three-and-a-half-years. This has been possible through change in public behaviour and processes.
"Digital India has not remained merely a government initiative but has become a way of life.
"Technology has become inseparable part of people's lives. While most government initiatives depend on government push, Digital India is succeeding because of people's pull," Modi said.
Linking 320 million Jan Dhan bank accounts of the poor with Aadhaar and mobile numbers to provide direct benefits of welfare measures has saved Rs 57,000 crore, he noted.
To ensure digital literacy, he said, the government has initiated the Pradhan Mantri Rural Digital Literacy Mission to make 60 million adults digitally literate in rural India, and 10 million people have already been trained under the scheme.
Today, India is the hot spot of digital innovation across all sectors, Modi said.
"We not only possess a growing number of innovative entrepreneurs, but also a growing market for tech innovation. We were and we remain one of the most tech friendly populations in the world," he said.
Modi said as on today there are 2.8 lakh Common Services Centres in different parts of the country giving many digital services to people.
About 10 lakh people work in these centres, including thousands of women entrepreneurs.
In order to leverage the skills and talent of our youth, BPOs have started operating from places like Kohima and Imphal in North East India to areas of Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
"86 Units across 27 states and Union Territories have already become operational and many more are likely to come up. Around 22 million digital hospital transactions across 172 hospitals in the country are bringing comfort in the lives of patients," he said.
"eNAM- an online agriculture market offering the best prices to the farmers--has 6.6 million farmers registered and 470 agriculture markets connected," Modi said.
He said digital payments through BHIM-UPI has registered transactions of Rs 15,000 crore in January 2018.
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