Governance Community

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden recently took part in an India-US Hi-Tech Handshake event at the White House in Washington D.C. The event, moderated by US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, brought together prominent CEOs of technology companies and startups from both countries. The main focus of the event was on the themes of “AI for All” and “Manufacturing for Mankind.” It provided an opportunity for the leaders to assess the growing technology collaboration between India and the USA. The discussions centred around the role and potential of the India-US Technology Partnership in promoting an inclusive economy driven by AI, addressing the needs of their citizens as well as the global community. During the event, President Biden presented Prime Minister Modi with an “AI” t-shirt as a gift. The CEOs explored ways to leverage the existing connections between the two technology ecosystems, including India’s skilled workforce and advancements in Digital Public Infrastructure, to foster international collaborations. They emphasized the importance of regular engagement between industries to initiate strategic partnerships, collaborate on standards, and promote innovation. In his speech, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the enormous potential of India-US tech cooperation in driving socioeconomic growth. He also commended the youth of India for cultivating a culture of innovation. President Biden called on CEOs to expand the India-US tech partnership into new fields such as biotechnology and quantum technology. Both leaders emphasized the instrumental role of the India-US partnership in creating a better future for their respective populations and the world at large.  

Amit Agrawal has taken on the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). Starting his tenure on Monday, Agrawal, a 1993 batch IAS officer from the Chhattisgarh cadre, brings with him a wealth of experience. Having graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, he has held various significant positions at both the central and state levels, including Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Before assuming the position of UIDAI CEO, he served as Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). Prior to that, he held the positions of Additional Secretary and Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Finance. Agrawal has also served as the Finance Secretary and Secretary in charge of departments such as Commercial Tax and Technical Education in the Chhattisgarh State Government.

Chandrayaan 3, India’s upcoming lunar mission, is scheduled to be launched in July, most likely in the second half of the month, according to Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science & Technology. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to demonstrate crucial technology with this mission, specifically the ability to land the spacecraft on the moon’s south pole. Earlier this year, Dr Jitendra Singh confirmed that Chandrayaan-3 had successfully completed essential tests to ensure its capability to endure the challenging conditions during launch and the subsequent journey. As per ISRO’s website, Chandrayaan-3 will be launched by the LVM3 rocket from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota. The lander and rover will be carried by the propulsion module to a lunar orbit of 100 km. The spacecraft comprises an indigenous Lander module (LM), Propulsion module (PM), and a Rover, all aimed at developing and showcasing new technologies necessary for interplanetary missions.

The central government has given its approval for projects worth over Rs 7,500 crore aimed at modernizing fishing harbours and fish landing centres. Parshottam Rupala, the Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, inaugurated the foundation stone laying ceremony for the modernization and upgradation of the Cochin Fishing Harbour in Thoppumpady, Samudrika Hall, Willingdon Island, Cochin, which is under the authority of the Cochin Port Authority. In March 2022, the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, Government of India, sanctioned the proposal by the Cochin Port Trust for the modernization and upgradation of the Cochin Fishing Harbour in Thoppumpady. The total cost of the project is Rs 169.17 crore, with a central financial assistance of Rs 100 crore under the PMMSY (Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana) in collaboration with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways under the Sagarmala initiative. This project will benefit 700 fishing boats operating at the Cochin fishing harbour, directly supporting the livelihoods of around 10,000 fishermen and indirectly benefiting around 30,000 fishermen involved in the value chain. The modernization efforts are expected to significantly improve hygiene conditions and increase earnings from the export of fish and fish products.

The Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, announced that the aviation sector in India has undergone significant changes under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Previously limited to a select few, air travel has now become accessible to the common man. Scindia highlighted the growth in domestic passengers, which increased from 60 million in 2014 to 143 million in 2020 before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. International passengers also saw a significant increase, rising from 43 million to 64 million, marking nearly a 50% growth. Despite the impact of Covid-19, the number of aircraft has risen from around 400 in 2014 to 723 in 2023. Scindia emphasized the launch of Digi Yatra, a program designed for domestic flight passengers, which aims to set a new global benchmark for a seamless, hassle-free, and safe passenger experience at airports. The initiative was initially introduced at three airports – Delhi, Bengaluru, and Varanasi – on December 1, 2022, and later expanded to four more airports – Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, and Vijayawada – in March 2023. The government plans to implement Digi Yatra across various airports in the country. Furthermore, the minister highlighted the progress in airport infrastructure, with the government operationalizing an additional 74 airports, helicopters, and water aerodromes, bringing the total to 220. In addition to airport development, the government has also made strides in the establishment of 11 greenfield airports. The UDAN scheme, aimed at enhancing regional connectivity, has identified 180 RCS (Regional Connectivity Scheme) airports, including 25 water aerodromes and 40 helipads, for the operation of RCS flights. Currently, out of 1,152 awarded RCS routes, 475 routes have commenced operations, connecting 74 airports, nine heliports, and two water aerodromes. The RCS UDAN scheme has facilitated travel for approximately 121.67 lakh passengers, and an amount of around Rs 2,585.25 crore has been released to selected airline operators for the operation of RCS UDAN flights. Recently, Udan 5.1 was launched, focusing specifically on helicopter routes.

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has introduced a financial inclusion dashboard called ‘Antardrishti’ to assess and monitor the progress of financial inclusion in India. This dashboard will provide valuable insights into the relevant parameters and help identify areas of financial exclusion at a detailed level across the country. Initially, the dashboard will be used internally by the RBI but is expected to promote greater financial inclusion through collaboration with multiple stakeholders. The RBI has been actively promoting financial inclusion through various policy initiatives. In 2021, they developed the Financial Inclusion (FI) Index to measure the extent of financial inclusion. This index combines information from different aspects of financial inclusion into a single value ranging from 0 to 100. A score of 0 represents complete financial exclusion, while 100 indicates full financial inclusion. The FI index considers three dimensions: ‘Access’, ‘Usage’, and ‘Quality’, and incorporates data from banking, investments, insurance, postal services, and the pension sector in consultation with the government and sector regulators. According to the RBI statement, the launch of the Antardrishti dashboard marks another significant step towards deepening financial inclusion in India.

The Indian government plans to implement an Aadhaar-based payment system (ABPS) for 90% of active workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) by the end of June. The Ministry of Rural Development aims to make ABPS mandatory for wage settlements starting July 1. Currently, around 74.9% of active workers are eligible for the payment system. The government has instructed state governments to organize camps and maintain contact with beneficiaries to ensure complete coverage under ABPS. However, workers without an Aadhaar number should not be denied work. The government aims to register approximately 1,491,848 workers daily to meet the June 30 deadline. Some states are falling short of the targets, and they are labelled as “lagging” in terms of daily data updates on the government dashboard. Several states have a low percentage of eligible workers, including Meghalaya, Nagaland, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Gujarat. However, the government remains optimistic that 88-90% of active MGNREGS workers will be covered by the end of the month. According to government data, out of the total 14.28 crore active beneficiaries, Aadhaar has been linked to 13.75 crore individuals, and 12.17 crore of these have been authenticated, making them eligible for ABPS. In May, approximately 88% of wage payments were made through ABPS. The MGNREGS is a government initiative that provides a minimum of 100 days of guaranteed wage employment per financial year to rural households for unskilled manual work, aiming to improve their livelihood security.

A WhatsApp chatbot called CoalMitra has been introduced by Maharatna PSU Coal India Limited (CIL). The chairman of Coal India, Pramod Agarwal, introduced the chatbot. The chatbot will be used to handle complaints, manage vendor bills using the “Vendor Bill Status” feature, and allow retired employees to download paperwork to handle benefits using the “Retiree’s Benefit” feature. The occasion was attended by Dr. B Veera Reddy, Director of Technical for CIL, Vinay Ranjan, Director of P&IR for CIL, and Mukesh Choudhary, Director of Marketing for CIL. Speaking on the app’s features, the PSU noted that CoalMitra operates around-the-clock and will help with faster complaint handling. Stakeholders can utilise it to file complaints and follow up on them. Additionally, merchants can use it to track the status of their invoices, and retired employees and their family members can use it to download the numerous paperwork necessary for their benefit. The PSU advised consumers to send a WhatsApp message with the phrase “Hello” to the mobile number 9477011383 in order to communicate with CoalMitra.

The e-Vidhan Sabha project, where MLAs will be able to ask questions online and perform other activities using tablets, would be operational within the next two months, according to Gujarat assembly speaker Shankar Chaudhary on Friday. To oversee project execution, a 15-member committee with the speaker as its head and members who are MLAs and officers from the relevant departments has been constituted. Through the e-Vidhan Sabha project, MLAs will be able to use tablets to submit questions, present issues from their various areas, and even upload data. The state government’s e-file system would be linked to the MLAs’ uploaded data, according to Chaudhary. The system would be operational by the next session of the Gujarat assembly, the speaker continued, adding that the process of updating the data is virtually complete and all other project modalities will be finished in the next two months. “We will be in a position to implement the project before the next session. It will ensure faster solution of peoples’ problems,” Chaudhary said. A team has been established to instruct MLAs on how to utilise the e-Vidhan Sabha module, he continued. These individuals, according to him, “will visit all constituencies, meet with MLAs, and train them in using all the features that will be made available under the project.” One meeting with representatives of the state government’s department of science and technology has already taken place, according to Chaudhary, and a second one is set for next week.

Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), according to Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, was established to democratise the nation’s current e-commerce environment. In his virtual address at the ‘ONDC Elevate’ programme on Monday in Bengaluru, Goyal stated that ONDC is a growth engine with the ability to totally redefine the e-commerce sector. The minister stated that the fact that there are so many merchants on the network attests to ONDC’s significance as digital commerce being reimagined. Throughout the open house, Goyal interacted with every network participant, taking note of their comments and offering advice on how to step up their efforts to democratise digital commerce in India. As a follow-up to participants’ questions, the minister added that “any marketplace joining ONDC should come with serious commitment, and not for namesake.” Additionally, he made the point that platforms joining ONDC should do so in a spirit of reciprocity rather than just taking advantage of the network’s resources without making a contribution to its development. With the goal of boosting collaboration by bringing together network participants and ecosystem players, ONDC Elevate celebrated ONDC’s one-year anniversary. It provided a platform for open talks about current successes and facilitated brainstorming sessions to help determine ONDC’s future course. Dilip Asbe, CEO of NPCI, Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman of the Capacity Building Commission, and Jaxay Shah, Chairman of QCI, members of the ONDC Advisory Council, also attended the occasion. According to a release from the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, participants had the chance to express their ideas during this interactive session and benefited from the minister’s and the advisory council members’ advice. As ONDC completes its first year of operations, T. Koshy, MD & CEO, stated that it is the perfect time to reflect on what has been accomplished thus far and make plans for the future. According to him, the network has consistently developed with the participation of a variety of companies from five cities to 236 cities. The panel also talked about the different achievements made by ONDC during the last 12 months. Since the beginning of beta testing on September 29, 2022, ONDC has expanded to 36,000 merchants, 45+ network participants, and 8+ categories. Weekly averages of 13,000+ retail orders and 36,000+ mobility rides each day have been achieved, with daily peaks of 25,000 retail orders. According to the statement, the session also covered the effects that ONDC is having, particularly on SHGs and non-digitized sellers.