Cabinet approves additional Rs 14,903 crore boost for comprehensive expansion of the Digital India Program

On Wednesday, August 16, the Cabinet approved an additional expenditure of Rs 14,903 crore for the growth of the Digital India Program which was launched in the year 2015 by the Modi-led government. The move intends to advance multiple elements of the program and further the nation’s efforts at digital transformation.

Raising the skill levels of IT workers in India is one of the expanded program’s main goals. Upskilling programs will benefit a significant 525,000 IT professionals, resulting in a more empowered and competitive workforce.

The program also focuses on enhancing information security capabilities as cybersecurity becomes more and more important in the digital era. As per the official press release, a total of 265,000 cybersecurity professionals are expected to acquire training, which will help make the internet safer.

The widespread Umang platform, well-known for hosting a variety of services, is also expected to witness considerable improvement. Its utility and accessibility will be improved by the addition of a whopping 540 new modes to the 1700 services already available.

The National Super Computing Mission will advance the country’s technical prowess with the addition of 9 more supercomputers to the fleet of 18, increasing the computational capacity available for research and development projects.

The Computer Emergency Response Team – India (CERT-In) will significantly expand in response to the growing significance of cybersecurity. Union Electronics and information technology (IT) minister Ashwini Vaishnaw while addressing the Cabinet meeting said special attention to cyber security would be given under the extension of the Digital India program. “The outlay will also enable cyber-awareness courses for 12 crore college students and new initiatives in the area of cyber security, including the development of tools and integration of more than 200 sites with the National Cyber Coordination Centre,” he added.

Notably, the Digital India project aims to empower MSMEs by making Digilocker services available to them. This action is intended to streamline corporate procedures and increase efficiency. Previously, it was only available to individuals.

The initiative also plans to construct a comprehensive digital credit network by year’s end, following the growth of digital payments. Over 1200 firms will receive funding under the expanded program, encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship across sectors, and this will help the startup ecosystem expand as well.

To usher in a new era of AI-driven innovations, the extension also involves the creation of AI Centres of Excellence focused on important fields like healthcare, sustainable living, and agriculture.

Also, a future awareness program will be introduced to spread the word about the significance of cyber security. This program aims to inform people about the best practices and precautions they can take to safeguard their digital assets and themselves.