India’s Digital Dream takes off, India Inc bets billions

It’s a digital revolution in the making. If Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of Digital India comes to fruition, the country of 1.2 billion people will be transformed radically into a formidable knowledge powerhouse connected by info highways and powered by transparent governance.

M-governance: Mobile, not Modi

Digital India initiative bears the stamp of the Indian leader, a former tea-seller who has flagged off new dreams for India and is fond of taking slefies with world leaders, but Mr Modi was keen to emphasise at the launch of the campaign in the Indian capital that it should not be equated with him. “We have to move from E-governance to M-governance. M-governance does not mean Modi governance. It means Mobile governance,” Mr Modi said in a messianic tone as he kicked off the Digital India Week in New Delhi on July 1.

Indian corporate honchos, such as Reliance Industries chairman MukeshAmbani and Bharti Enterprises head Sunil Bharti Mittal promised to invest over 4.5 trillion rupees ($71 billion) in Mr Modi-led “Digital India” initiative.

Other organisations, including Metals and resources company Sterlite Technologies will manufacturing LCD panels in India, while a maker of energy-saving motors Japan’s Nidec Corp, will establish 5 factories; all in India’s flagship initiative – “Digital India”.

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