Nandan Nilekani, others to advise Centre on Open Network for Digital Commerce to end digital monopoly

Infosys non-executive chairman Nandan M Nilekani and Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) secretary-general Praveen Khandelwal will join the Central Government's panel as an advisor, along with 7 other members to advise on preventing digital monopoly.

The Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has initiated a project on an Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) and the task has been assigned to the Quality Council of India (QCI). ONDC aims to promote open networks developed on open-sourced methodology, using open specifications and open network protocols independent of any specific platform.

@DIPPGOI constitutes an Advisory Committee to accelerate development of Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). @QualityCouncil pic.twitter.com/6TqbF6S1iF

— Anil Agrawal (@anilarch) July 5, 2021

ONDC is expected to digitise the entire value chain, standardise operations, promote inclusion of suppliers, derive efficiencies in logistics and enhance value for consumers.

RK Puri, joint director, DPIIT, in a notification, said it has been decided to constitute an advisory council to advise the government on measures needed to design and accelerate the adoption of ONDC.

The members of the ONDC are RS Sharma, CEO, National Health Authority; Nandan M Nilekani, Non-Executive Chairman of Infosys; Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman, QCI and Capacity Building Commission; Anjali Bansal, founder and chairperson of Avaana Capital; Arvind Gupta, co-founder and head, Digital India Foundation; Dilip Asbe, MD and CEO, National Payments Corporation India (NPCI); Suresh Sethi, MD and CEO of NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Ltd; Praveen Khandelwal; Secretary-General, Confederation of All India Traders; and Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, Retail Association of India (RAI).

The notification says the additional secretary, DPIIT, will be the convenor of the advisory council.

Also read: India to build on success of Co-WIN system to create national digital health programme: RS Sharma