Digital India expanded access to healthcare, housing, education in last decade: Jitendra Singh

New Delhi, June 30 (IANS) The Digital India initiative has expanded access to healthcare, housing, and education in the country in the last 10 years, said Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, on Monday.

Delivering the inaugural address at the Southern Regional Conference of the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) at Pondicherry University, Singh noted how initiatives launched over the past decade have not only streamlined service delivery but also empowered citizens, especially those in remote and rural areas.

Calling Digital India "the default operating system of governance”, Singh asserted that the shift from “minimum government, maximum governance” to a citizen-centric digital ecosystem is central to the country’s administrative and socio-economic reforms.

Citing schemes like Ayushman Bharat and PM Awas Yojana, the Minister emphasised “how digital tools have broadened access to healthcare and housing”.

“India is the only country where you can get insured for a pre-existing disease. That is a testament to our citizen-first approach,” he added.

Singh also pointed out that reforms such as biometric and face-recognition-based identity systems have been instrumental in humanising governance.

“It is not just about adopting technology -- it’s about applying it to ensure dignity and ease of living for every Indian,” he said.

Further, the MoS drew attention to several governance interventions introduced since 2014, including DigiLocker, UMANG, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), and the JAM Trinity (Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile), noting their role in reducing bureaucratic delays and enhancing transparency.

“These reforms are not just administrative upgrades -- they have massive socio-economic consequences,” he said, citing examples like self-attestation replacing notarised verification and digital life certificates sparing senior citizens the need to physically prove their existence to receive pensions.

Similarly in education, Singh cited the “One Nation, One Subscription” initiative, which provides access to top global journals to researchers across India, describing it as a significant step toward democratising knowledge.

“The new digital ecosystem has bridged information gaps for students and researchers, irrespective of geography,” he noted.

The Minister also highlighted India’s rising global standing, with key indicators such as the Global Innovation Index, startup rankings, and patent filings showing marked improvement.

“From being ranked 10th globally in the economy, we are now 4th, and on track to be 3rd by 2027,” he said.

Urging a greater collaboration between academia, administration, and the private sector, for “Viksit Bharat 2047,” Singh said that “the next phase will depend on how we unlock our unexplored resources, from oceans to outer space.”

--IANS

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