Coronavirus: Desi Zoom app? Govt plans to create video-conferencing platform

IT and Communication Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad met officials today to discuss the development of an India-specific video conference platform and have asked them to float offers to IT, specialists, startups and others for the same.

This decision came after the Ministry of Home Affairs declared that popular video conferencing platform Zoom is not safe. The ministry said that it issued the advisory after it was notified that Zoom was developed in China and the platform is routing information through servers in China.

A senior official said, "Few shortlisted design and ideas will be funded by the govt and the best most effective app/s will be encouraged for domestic use." The pandemic has highlighted the need for an India centric platform, the official added.

Sources have said the IT minister has asked ministry officials to draw up rules and regulations for work from home as some form of lockdown might extend for several months. "Corona pandemic and the lockdowns have flagged the need for many such elements for the future. And India which has emerged as a dominant global IT player needs to have a proper architecture of work from home rules just in case of future crisis of similar nature," an official said.

The Ministry has also allowed the employees from the sector to work from home till May 30. Large IT firms and business process outsourcing firms need government permission to operate from home. The deadline has been extended to maintain social distancing.  Around 80 er cent of the 4 million IT professionals in India are working from home due to the lockdown.

The IT ministry is also looking to make India the next big manufacturing destination. The government believes that India could emerge as an alternative for China if a conducive business environment is created.

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