Join STPI Blog - http://stpi-scheme.blogspot.com/

Narendra Modi says IT sector can become face of India

Modi said e-governance needs to be pushed to the fore to improve accessibility of govt initiatives for citizens

Narendra Modi >>
why I keep saying IT plus IT is equal to IT i.e. India Talent plus Information Technology is equal to India Tomorrow.
“E-governance has the potential to become the greatest problem solver of the people (and) in doing so (will provide) empowerment , equity, efficiency. It helps everything to deliver the desired goal of minimum government and maximum governance,” said Modi

We have marketed hardware a lot from phones to laptops—we see strength in that,” said Modi but added that the real strength is in software

Social media can further enhance the reach. It can be effectively used by every citizen. For me, social media is a medium that helps me understand the ambition of people and would reach me easily and sometimes it touches my heart. 

To my mind, the digital divide means that a person can get the benefit of IT in remote villages,” said Modi, adding, “If you have to develop backward regions in the country, developing infrastructure should be based on an inclusive model.”

Mumbai: Gujarat chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Friday called for an increase in e-governance initiatives to improve accessibility to citizens and said India’s $118-billion information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) industry has the potential to improve millions of lives and become the face of India.

“Aap kalpana kar sakte hai ki just with the help of IT hum kitne gareeb logon ko rozi roti de sakte hai. (You can imagine how much we can help poor people earn their daily bread with the help of IT). That is why I keep saying IT plus IT is equal to IT i.e. India Talent plus Information Technology is equal to India Tomorrow. The IT sector can be the shining light of brand India,” said Modi, addressing technology executives at the software lobby group Nasscom’s India Leadership Forum 2014 by video conference (which he pointed out was possible only because of technology).

Modi, who earlier this week met US ambassador Nancy Powell in a sign of thawing relations with the US, said that the issue of e-governance needs to be advocated and pushed to the fore to improve accessibility of government initiatives for common citizens.

“E-governance is the most easy, effective and economical governance. It’s one of the most useful fields of information technology,” said the 63-year-old Modi.

“E-governance has the potential to become the greatest problem solver of the people (and) in doing so (will provide) empowerment , equity, efficiency. It helps everything to deliver the desired goal of minimum government and maximum governance,” said Modi.

Modi called upon India’s IT sector to help bridge the digital divide in a country, which has the third-highest number of Internet users in the world after China and the US at 150 million, but where penetration accounts for just 12.58% of the country’s population of about 1.2 billion.

“We have been talking of the digital divide. Is it relevant only for seminars and conferences? To my mind, the digital divide means that a person can get the benefit of IT in remote villages,” said Modi, adding, “If you have to develop backward regions in the country, developing infrastructure should be based on an inclusive model.”

“If there is a road, school or electricity in remote areas, life will change drastically. In the coming days, inclusive infrastructure information technology, optical network (and) broadband facility will play a key role. In looking at inclusive development, there should be no delay—we should remove digital divide from the country,” added Modi. “It’s (the) collective responsibility of IT firms and professionals that we will reduce the digital divide to solve problems.”

“We have marketed hardware a lot from phones to laptops—we see strength in that,” said Modi but added that the real strength is in software.

Modi also said that India needs to focus more on developing software and that the power of the social media needed to be used more effectively to reach more parts of the country’s population. Modi himself tweets a lot, and as on 14 February, he had about 3.38 million followers and had posted 3,910 tweets.

“Social media can further enhance the reach. It can be effectively used by every citizen. For me, social media is a medium that helps me understand the ambition of people and would reach me easily and sometimes it touches my heart. Social media has given me new inspiration, new strength. So far, software and the Internet had been limited to people. When (these) activities pick up, the digital divide will go away, (and) the IT industry will flourish and our country will progress,” he added.

Modi also called for greater focus on manufacturing more technology products out of India, especially in sectors such as defence.

“Electronics imports are a big share in import basket. In a few years from now, (electronics) import bill will be bigger than oil imports. You can understand the challenge. We must focus on manufacturing and worry on manufacturing in strategic sectors like defence. I am personally a great advocate of technology, I know that it will transform our lives,” said Modi.

Modi cautioned that cyber security needs to be addressed by the IT sector.

“We are living in a time where wars will be fought in the cyber space. Your homes will be broken (into) through cyber medium. Creating cyber security by using technology like CCTV (closed circuit television) cameras in banks and other places will bring another way of reducing the digital divide,” said Modi.

He also called on the Indian IT industry to create a new corporate social responsibility (CSR) network to reduce dropout rates from schools.

“All your companies can come together build a task force through a CSR network—how to track school going kids, information gathering, online-offline co-ordination and how we can reduce the dropout rate by 5-7% with the help of information technology network—it’s a good thing,” said Modi. “It’s not difficult for you to install software and follow it.”

 FIRST PUBLISHED: FRI, FEB 14 2014. 06 40 PM IST

News Source >> http://www.livemint.com/Industry/ZX41jK9UybM1QzWwTbSQAK/Narendra-Modi-says-IT-sector-can-become-face-of-India.html



This Blog helps you to have a better understanding of STPI scheme, export of IT & software and software services including Information Technology (IT) enabled services/ Bio- IT And other export promotion scheme of Government of India.
You are requested to join STPI Blog for the latest updates, news, RBI guidelines for exporters, FEMA Regulations and other related information.
Become Follower of Our Blog - http://stpi-scheme.blogspot.com/
Join Facebook Group  of STPI -