Digital India BHASHINI

For Prelims: Digital India BHASHINI, Artificial Intelligence, MSME, Gram Panchayats, Optical Fiber

For Mains: Digital India Vision of India, Technology Missions, Government Policies & Interventions, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Government

Why in News?

Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and IT conducted a brainstorming session with Researchers and Start-ups aimed to shape strategy for Digital India BHASHINI [BHASHa INterface for India].

  • The government intends to integrate start-ups' innovation, development and consumption of technology.

What is Digital India BHASHINI?

  • About:
    • Digital India BHASHINI is India’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) led language translation platform.
    • A Bhashini Platform will make Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) resources available to MSME (Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises), Startups and Individual Innovators in the public domain.
    • Bhashini Platform is a part of the National Language Translation Mission.
      • The mission aims to ensure that as more Indians connect to the internet, they are able to access global content in their own languages.
  • Significance:
    • Digital Inclusion:
      • It will empower Indian citizens by connecting them to the Digital Initiatives of the country in their own language thereby leading to digital inclusion.
      • It will also encourage participation of startups.
    • Digital Government:
      • Mission will create and nurture an ecosystem involving Central/State government agencies and start-ups, working together to develop and deploy innovative products and services in Indian languages.
        • It is a giant step to realize the goal of Digital Government.
    • Increase the Content in Indian Languages:
      • It also aims to increase the content in Indian languages on the Internet substantially in the domains of public interest, particularly, governance-and-policy, science & technology, etc., thus will encourage citizens to use the Internet in their own language.

What are India's initiatives for the Digital India Vision?
Digital India Programme
  • Digital India aims to provide the much needed thrust to the nine pillars of growth areas, namely Broadband Highways, Universal Access to Mobile Connectivity, Public Internet Access Programme, e-Governance: Reforming Government through Technology, e-Kranti - Electronic Delivery of Services, Information for All, Electronics Manufacturing, IT for Jobs and Early Harvest Programmes.

Digital Entrepreneurship
  • The establishment of 3.7 lakh Common Service Centres across India has encouraged digital entrepreneurship in rural areas and improved access to digital services for the common man.

Digital Services

Unique Digital Identity (Aadhaar)
  • With 129 Crore Aadhaar holders, India is home to the largest population with a unique digital identity in the world.
India Stack
  • IndiaStack is a set of platforms and Application Programming Interface (APIs) that allows governments, businesses, startups and developers to utilise a unique digital Infrastructure to solve India’s problems towards presenceless, paperless, and cashless service delivery.
National Digital Educational Architecture (NDEAR)
  • The government has laid a major emphasis on strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure for education by announcing setting up of a National Digital Educational Architecture (NDEAR) within the context of a Digital First Mindset where the digital architecture will not only support teaching and learning activities but also educational planning, governance administrative activities of the Centre and the States / Union Territories.
National Digital Health Mission (NDHM)
  • It aims to develop the backbone necessary to support the integrated digital health infrastructure of the country.
Digital India BHASHINI
  • It is India’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) led language translation platform. It aims to increase the content in Indian languages on the Internet substantially.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions

Q. Which of the following is/are the aim/aims of “Digital India” Plan of the Government of India? (2018)

  1. Formation of India’s own Internet companies like China did.
  2. Establish a policy framework to encourage overseas multinational corporations that collect Big Data to build their large data centres within our national geographical boundaries.
  3. Connect many of our villages to the Internet and bring Wi-Fi to many of our schools, public places and major tourist centres.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (b)

Exp:

  • Digital India was launched by the Union Government on 7th August, 2014. It is implemented by the different ministries and units of governments at all level with overall coordination being done by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY).
  • Digital Infrastructure as a Core Utility to Every Citizen : Availability of high speed internet as a core utility for delivery of services to citizens; Hence, 3 is correct.
  • There is no provision of establishing own internet companies and policy framework to encourage overseas multinational corporations that collect Big Data to build large data centres within our national geographical boundaries. Hence, 1 and 2 are not correct.

Q. Consider the following statements: (2018)

  1. Aadhaar card can be used as a proof of citizenship or domicile.
  2. Once issued, Aadhaar number cannot be deactivated or omitted by the Issuing Authority.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (d)

Exp:

  • Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is a statutory authority established under the provisions of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 by the GoI, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
  • UIDAI is responsible for issuance of a 12 digit Unique Identification number (UID), named as “Aadhaar”, to all residents of India that is robust enough to eliminate duplicate and fake identities, and can be verified and authenticated in an easy, cost-effective way.
  • The Aadhaar platform helps service providers authenticate identity of residents electronically, in a safe and quick manner, making service delivery more cost effective and efficient. According to the GoI and UIDAI, Aadhaar is not a proof of citizenship. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
  • However, UIDAI has also published a set of contingencies when the Aadhaar issued by it is liable for rejection. An Aadhaar with mixed or anomalous biometric information or multiple names in a single name (like Urf or Alias) can be deactivated. Aadhaar can also get deactivated upon non-usage of the same for three consecutive years. Hence, statement 2 is not correct. Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Source:PIB