PM Narendra Modi calls for 'Digital India' to improve governance

Expressing the government's resolve to move towards the goal of 'Digital India', Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday underlined the need for using information technology to improve governance and spread education and medical facilities.

"Youth belonging to the IT profession have paved the way for establishing India's new identity in the world. Digital India is our dream for the nation. When I say 'digital India' it is not meant for the rich but for those who are poor," the minister said in his first speech from the ramparts of Red Fort in the national capital.

He said if the villages could be connected with broadband, education could be provided to children in even the last school and telemedicine facilities could greatly help the poor.

Referring to greater use of mobile phones to improve the delivery system, Modi said the facility could be used by the poor to operate bank accounts, seek benefits of government schemes and run businesses.

The Prime Minister said that his government's resolve was to work towards a digital India for providing information and services to the people in a timely and effective manner.

He said if "we move with the dream of electronic digital India, manufacturing of electronic goods and become self-reliant", it would be a major gain for the country.

Referring to e-governance, he said it was "easy governance, effective governance and economical governance".

"E-governance is way to good governance... There was a time when it was said that Railway unites the country. I say, today IT has the power to unite the country and its people," the Prime Minister added.