Cabinet okays Rs 1 lakh crore Digital India plan

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a slew of proposals, including Digital India, hike in royalty rate of minerals, the Nagpur metro project and setting up of mobile phone towers in Naxal-hit areas.

Digital India, involving various projects worth about Rs 1 lakh crore, aims to transform the country into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.

The programme would be implemented in phases from this year till 2018 and ensure that government services are available to citizens electronically.

It would also bring in public accountability through mandated delivery of government's services electronically, a Unique ID and e-Pramaan based on authentic and standard-based interoperable and integrated government applications and data basis.

The vision of Digital India includes creation of ICT infrastructure like high-speed Internet at gram panchayat level, on demand availability of government services like health, education, etc, and digital empowerment of citizens specially through digital literacy.

The programme will monitored by a committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs will accord approval for projects.

The programme is a transformed version of the already-running National e-Governance Plan. The project aims to provide thrust to nine pillars identified as growth areas-broadband highways, everywhere mobile connectivity, Public Internet Access Programme, e-Governance, e-Kranti (which aims to give electronic delivery of services), information for all, electronics manufacturing, IT for Jobs and early harvest programmes.

The Cabinet also approved revision of mineral royalty in principle. There are 55 such items but this excludes coal, lignite and sand for stowing, Communications and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said after a Cabinet meeting.

The royalty rate of iron ore will go up from 10 per cent to 15 per cent.

The Cabinet also approved the long-pending proposal to install mobile towers in nine Naxal-affected states at a cost of Rs 3,216 crore.

Besides, the minimum export price of onion was reduced to $350 per tonne from $500 per tonne following improvement in domestic supply situation and softening of prices.