The fast changing media landscape, the high speed internet performance and explosive growth of online content consumption have created a high yielding environment in the digital space in India.
On 1st July, 2015 Prime Minister, Narendra Modi inaugurated the ‘Digital India’ week in New Delhi, urging more companies to make electronic and digital goods and to help push the government’s efforts to connect 2,50,00 villages in India by 2019.
More than 70 million rural households face some form of exclusion, either from assets or socio-economic benefits, according to data released by the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) survey published in the first week of July, 2015. As many as 833 million Indians, or 69% of the population, live in rural areas out of which, 28% (over 50 million) of those households do not have mobile phones or any form of communication. Global rating agencies have warned of the cascading effects of the underdeveloped rural areas, laying stress on the need for rural economic reforms.
India’s average Internet speed was ranked 115th globally in the first quarter of the year, among countries studied by service provider, Akamai Technologies.
India reported a little over 100 million broadband subscribers at the end of April, out of a population of close to 1.3 billion, according to the sector regulator, which considers Internet connections with minimum download speeds of 512 kbps. Top industrialists including Reliance Industries’ chairman Mukesh Ambani and Vedanta chairman Anil Agarwal have pledged investments amounting to Rs 4.5 lakh crore for the PM’s Digital India programme. While Ambani announced investments of Rs 2,50,000 crore, a part of which will go into a retail network of 1.5 lakh stores, and rest help set up a start-up fund, Vedanta’s investments will include set up of an LCD panel fab unit, which he expects will employ 50,000 people and reduce India’s electronic imports by 20 per cent.
PM Narendra Modi is among the foremost ministers to be socially active and to have garnered close to 14 million followers on Twitter. His regular updates, candid pictures, respect for culture and appreciation towards his country’s individuals and their achievements have made him a popular global idol.
The PM has said that the digital India initiative is a good complement to the government’s flagship scheme ‘Make in India’ , which aims at developing self reliance and sustenance by focusing on manufacturing in India for the world.
With the latest digital development in India, comes another project- PowerHouse supported by the Chevening Alumni of Oxford University, UK. The project, at the EOI launch stage is calling for applications from consortiums or individuals to participate and contribute towards the technology and renewable sector performance. With the availability of high-tech collaborations and integration of human and technological skills, this project is a comprehensive housing plan to capitalize on the diverse digital ecosystem of India.
Watch the introduction into PowerHouse.
