Question

Which of the following statement(s) is/are true about the future roadmap of E-Governance in India?
i. Expanding BharatNet to rural areas.
ii. Developing multilingual platforms like UMANG.
iii. Promoting cash-based transactions.
iv. Enhancing digital literacy through PMGDISHA.

• A. Only i, ii, and iv
• B. Only i and iii
• C. Only ii and iii
• D. All the above

Answer 1

Answer:

A. Only i, ii, and iv

E-Governance Roadmap in India:

Core Objectives of E-Governance

• E-Governance utilizes Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to deliver government services, exchange information, facilitate transactions, and manage various systems efficiently.

• The primary goal is to enhance accessibility, efficiency, transparency, and accountability of government services for citizens.

Key Pillars and Future Roadmap Initiatives

• Expanding Digital Infrastructure:

  • Statement i: Expanding BharatNet to rural areas. This is a crucial step towards bridging the digital divide and ensuring universal access to digital services.

  • Fact for Exams: BharatNet aims to provide broadband connectivity to all 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats (village councils) across India, making it one of the world's largest rural broadband projects. It is implemented by Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL).

• Promoting Digital Inclusion and Accessibility:

  • Statement ii: Developing multilingual platforms like UMANG. Given India's linguistic diversity, providing services in multiple languages is essential for inclusivity and ensuring wider reach of E-Governance services.

  • Fact for Exams: UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) is a mobile application launched by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to provide access to over 1,700 government services from central, state, and local bodies on a single platform.

• Enhancing Digital Literacy:

  • Statement iv: Enhancing digital literacy through PMGDISHA. Digital literacy is fundamental for citizens to effectively utilize and benefit from E-Governance services. Without basic digital skills, access to online services remains limited.

  • Fact for Exams: PMGDISHA (Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan) is a scheme launched by MeitY with the objective to make at least one person digitally literate in every eligible rural household. It is one of the largest digital literacy programs globally, aiming to cover 6 crore rural households.

• Promoting Digital Transactions (Counter to Statement iii):

  • Statement iii: Promoting cash-based transactions. This statement is incorrect regarding E-Governance's future roadmap. E-Governance initiatives actively promote a less-cash or cashless economy by encouraging digital payments (e.g., UPI, BHIM, Net Banking).

  • The shift towards digital transactions enhances transparency, reduces corruption, improves financial inclusion, and streamlines financial processes, which are core objectives of E-Governance.

Important E-Governance Initiatives for Competitive Exams

• Digital India Programme (launched 2015): A flagship program to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. E-Governance is a core component, focusing on 'Governance & Services on Demand'.

• DigiLocker: A secure cloud-based platform for issuance and verification of documents and certificates digitally, reducing the need for physical documents.

• MyGov: A citizen engagement platform that allows citizens to participate in policy formulation and program implementation, fostering participatory governance.

• e-Kranti: A national e-governance plan that focuses on transforming E-Governance into 'M-governance' (mobile governance) and improving delivery of services.