'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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Russian First Deputy PM Manturov meets PM Modi; discusses trade, energy ties
New Delhi (PTI): Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov on Thursday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties in areas of investment, energy and industrial cooperation.
Manturov, on a two-day visit to India, also held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
The Russian embassy said Modi and Manturov discussed "specific steps to implement agreements reached" during the India-Russia summit held in December last.
"Particular attention was paid to further strengthening Russia-India trade, economic, investment, energy and industrial cooperation," it said on social media.
In their meeting, Doval and Manturov were learnt to have discussed bilateral defence cooperation besides the evolving regional security situation.
The Russian first deputy PM's visit to New Delhi comes days after India cleared procurement of a fresh batch of five S-400 missile systems from Russia.
The decision to procure the additional batch of five S-400 air defence missile systems was taken against the backdrop of the missile system proving its capability during Operation Sindoor.
The missile system played a crucial role in India's dominance over Pakistan during the May 7-10 hostilities last year.
In October 2018, India had signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of S-400 air defence missile systems, notwithstanding a warning by the US that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions under the provisions of Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
Three squadrons have already been delivered.
In the talks, the two sides are also expected to exchange views on the West Asia conflict and its impact on global economy, especially on the energy sector.
It is learnt that both sides also reviewed the implementation of decisions taken at the summit talks between Prime Minister Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in last December.
Following talks between the two leaders, India and Russia unveiled a raft of measures including a five-year roadmap to build a robust economic partnership and to increase the annual trade to USD 100 billion by 2030.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov last week lauded India's "independent foreign policy" and said that Russia looks forward to welcoming Prime Minister Modi for a visit this year.
In an address at a conference titled 'India and Russia: Towards a new bilateral agenda', he said the "time-tested" friendship between the two countries is a model on interstate relations based on mutual trust and respect.
