'Digital India' eliminated middlemen, empowered citizens: Modi
New Delhi, June 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said his flagship programme "Digital India" helped citizens by eliminating middlemen and promoted 4Es -- Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Empowerment.
"We launched Digital India with a very simple focus -- to ensure more people can benefit from the joys of technology, especially in rural areas," he said while interacting via NaMo App with the beneficiaries of government's flagship schemes across the country.
To make this possible, the government worked on a holistic policy consisting of connecting villages through optical fibre, educating citizens digitally, providing service delivery through mobiles and promoting electronics manufacturing.
This was his sixth outreach with the beneficiaries of government schemes through video conferencing.
The event was streamed in social media site Facebook to over 50 lakh beneficiaries, including those from common service centres, NIC centres, National Knowledge Network, BPOs, mobile manufacturing units and MyGov volunteers.
Modi stated that the initiative had brought about a movement for digital payments, thereby eliminating the concept of middlemen.
"Due to technology, railway tickets can be booked online, bills can be paid online... all this brings great convenience. We ensured that the advantages of technology are not restricted to a select few but they are there for all sections of society. We have strengthened the network of Computer Science Corporations (CSCs)," he said.
Various provisions like online payment of bills, including BHIM App, online booking of railway tickets and electronic delivery of scholarships and pensions to bank accounts, had greatly reduced the hassles of common people, Modi added.
Modi said Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) had provided digital skill and training to 1.25 crore people, out of which 70 per cent of candidates were from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Class (OBC) communities.
He also said the scheme had been a major tool in bringing digital transformation in rural areas, and in the North-East.
"Under our North-East BPO Promotion Scheme (NEBPS), we are not just providing employment to youth in cities but also in the Northeast. The India BPO promotion scheme and a separate BPO promotion scheme for the Northeast is creating new opportunities relating to the sector," he added.
He said the Digital India had transformed the BPO sector as it had now spread to small towns and villages, creating employment opportunities.
Modi said that the Electronic Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) scheme was launched to promote electronic manufacturing in India and it would provide employment to close to six lakh people.
India has 120 mobile phone manufacturing factories now compared to just two such units in 2014, he said, adding it had offered direct and indirect employment to more than 4.5 lakh citizens.
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Coldplay's Ahmedabad concerts to be a spectacle to behold
New Delhi (PTI): With an estimated audience turn out of 100,000, popular British band Coldplay is set for its biggest and snazziest gig ever in India at the grand Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in January.
The organisers of the show, which was added on the band's India leg of "Music Of The Spheres World Tour" due to massive fan demand, believe that it could possibly be the spectacle of the decade and should not only reaffirm Coldplay’s global appeal but also mark a moment of pride for Ahmedabad and India.
According to insiders, a lot of planning has already “been invested” into the concerts, set to be held on January 25, 2025.
Coldplay, led by Chris Martin and popular for songs such as "A Sky Full of Stars", "Viva la Vida", "Yellow" and "Paradise" world over, will perform its second concert in Ahmedabad at the same venue on January 26.
The band, which also consists of guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer and percussionist Will Champion, and manager Phil Harvey, has always been known for its immersive live shows where they blend visual artistry with iconic music.
And it is expected to bring the sizzle quotient several notches up for its date with the concertgoers at the Ahmedabad shows as the band’s global and Indian production partners are pulling out all stops to create a dazzling spectacle.
They have planned mesmerising light displays, immersive projections and stage effects that should help convert the usually energetic Narendra Modi stadium into an otherworldly experience.
BookMyShow Live, the live entertainment experiential arm of ticketing platform BookMyShow, has undertaken the complex logistics of organising this enormous event end-to-end, ensuring a seamless experience, from coordinating essential regulatory approvals to orchestrating a world-class production set-up.
Giant LED screens, synchronised lighting and high-quality sound systems will ensure that fans, no matter where their seat is, have an intimate and powerful connection to the music.
The atmosphere is expected to get electric as Coldplay performs its classic hits alongside new tracks, enveloping the audience in a symphony of sound and light.
The organisers are expecting a huge rush from locals as well as loyal fans from across the country to attend the mega event in Ahmedabad.
Organising a concert of this magnitude from the ground up involves a complex, multi-layered process: from identifying and securing a world-class venue to managing essential regulatory approvals, aligning with the artists’ global schedules and assembling a top-tier production setup, meticulously coordinating logistics to deliver an event of this scale and ensuring a strong focus on safety and security.
BookMyShow Live, insiders said, has been leading the way having thoughtfully considered every single element to ensure Coldplay’s historic moment in India is as exceptional for fans as it is for the band itself.
The concerts are going to be a celebration of Gujarat’s cultural openness, modern infrastructure, its ability to make the impossible possible and its welcoming spirit.
The city has long been celebrated for its impressive landmarks, record-breaking feats and Coldplay’s concerts will only add to this list of achievements.
For locals, welcoming one of the biggest bands in the world is a testament to Ahmedabad’s growth as a cultural and entertainment hub. It’s a chance for Ahmedabad to showcase its world-class venue and its ability to accommodate a massive, diverse crowd with seamless hospitality and efficient event management.
Ahmedabad’s hospitality sector is also gearing up for the influx of concert-goers.
There are reports that hotels around the venue have either been sold out or rates are sky-rocketing around the concert dates.
But as seen during the ICC Cricket World Cup, this has barely deterred fans who opt to stay in nearby towns like Vadodara or travel the same day.
The Ahmedabad concerts not only symbolise Coldplay’s enduring popularity but also its adaptability and vision for creating immersive experiences that resonate with audiences across cultures and generations. Fresh from the band's Australia and Abu Dhabi tour and its three concerts in Mumbai, the Grammy-nominated group would be rearing to deck up an unforgettable experience under the Sky Full Of Stars in Ahmedabad.
