3 . An Overview of Digital India: The Citizen Enablers
Digital India is comprehensive program. It aims to deliver citizen services electronically. To realize this dream, the government has come out with detailed set of proposals. These proposals can be grouped into “ enablers “ and “ citizen services”
Enablers: The first category of proposals are called “ enablers” because they enable citizens with technology to access and avail citizen services. The following are proposals comes under this category
Universal access to mobile connectivity: Aims to ensure mobile connectivity in all parts of the country by 2018. The objective is to provide each citizen of the country with access to mobile networks and associated services. There is an assorted set of services offered by government departments and other basic services such as banking , insurance where mobile number of the citizen acts as authentication for ensuring reliability of services. Hence citizen’s access to this infrastructure mobile connectivity is pivotal for successful delivery of digital India citizen services electronically
Public internet access program: this initiate aims to improve the connectivity with the country. This entails building common service centers (CSC) in each gram panchayat and also converting post offices into multi-service centers. The CSC would provide citizens with centres from where they can get access to multiple services like utility bill payments, exam records, land records and more. Post office will provide not only postal services but also financial services like saving and insurance.
Broadband Highways: this initiative is fundamental to the success of digital India. It is the first step in digitizing India through the Internet connectivity in all areas within the country. All services that would be made available as part of Digital India program would require good connectivity across the country Broadband highways is the initiative that aims to provide this basic connectivity to all citizens. As part of this initiative 250,000 gram panchayats are planned to covered under the national Optical Fiber Network (NOFN).
With above three initiatives every citizen is enabled to participate in Digital India program and avail its services.