Big hopes for big numbers: Digital India will be a $1-trillion business opportunity, says Telecom minister

Communications and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has stated that Digital India will be a $1 trillion business opportunity in the future. This figure would combine the requirements of the telecoms, IT/ITeS and electronics manufacturing sectors.

He added that India's demographic dividend is accelerating the 'Digital India' drive, given that out of India’s 1.25 billion-strong population, 65% belong to the age group of 35 years and below.

Prasad was in Kolkata to attend the annual India 2016 conference organised by Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School.

Talking of the government, he added that the Modi-led government is building a robust broadband infrastructure so that services like e-education and e-health can be digitally delivered. He also mentioned the rapid rollout of a countrywide optical fibre cable network, owing to which all gram panchayats will get connected.

He also added that PM Modi’s grand initiative of 'Digital India' "is designed to bridge the digital divide and empower citizens, more particularly the poor and deprived, to seek new opportunities in their life".

Talking of telecom ministry’s steps in the direction of digital India, he said that the postal department is undergoing digitisation, and there is an upcoming scheme of stepping up BPOs in rural areas for inching closer to the target.

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