Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw: Digital India is promoting public infrastructure and digital inclusion
The Digital India Programme is significantly advancing digital inclusion and strengthening the country’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) through a strong focus on accessibility and affordability, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Vaishnaw said the initiative, launched under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has played a crucial role in bridging the country’s digital divide by expanding internet access and building strong digital infrastructure. According to the minister, the programme is progressing through a three-pronged strategy focused on increasing internet access, making connectivity affordable and developing robust digital public infrastructure.
He noted that India’s telecom tariffs are currently about 25 times lower than the global average, a milestone he attributed to increased transparency and reforms in the sector. This affordability, he said, has helped bring millions of people online and enabled broader access to digital services.
Highlighting the country’s progress in digital identity, Vaishnaw said more than 1.43 billion numbers have been generated under Aadhaar, providing a universal digital identity that allows citizens to access various government welfare programmes. The Aadhaar system also enables Aadhaar-linked direct benefit transfers across 328 schemes run by 56 ministries, ensuring that financial assistance is transferred directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts.
The minister said this system has reduced the need for multiple documents and helped eliminate duplicate or fake beneficiaries from government schemes. In the eastern state of West Bengal alone, more than 10.67 crore Aadhaar IDs have been generated so far.
Speaking about digital payments, Vaishnaw said the Unified Payments Interface has grown into one of the world’s largest payment platforms. UPI currently serves around 460 million users and about 6.5 crore merchants, connecting 685 banks across the country. According to the minister, the platform now accounts for around 81 percent of India’s digital payments and nearly 49 percent of global real-time digital transactions.
Vaishnaw also discussed the government’s approach toward artificial intelligence, stating that India’s national AI strategy aims to address challenges specific to the country, create economic opportunities and improve the lives of citizens. At the same time, he said the government remains mindful of potential risks associated with AI, especially those affecting children.
He explained that the Information Technology Act 2000 and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 provide safeguards for children’s data. These laws require verifiable consent from parents or legal guardians before any personal data of a child can be processed and prohibit tracking or targeted advertising directed at children.
To tackle cybercrime, particularly offences involving minors, the Ministry of Home Affairs operates the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. In addition, the government has conducted more than 4,309 awareness workshops across the country, reaching over 9.63 lakh participants to promote cyber hygiene and strengthen digital security awareness.
