Yojana Magazine May 2022 - 3 | Monthly Yojana & Kurukshetra Magazine (English) - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


YOJANA   May 2022 35
he Indian digital story has evolved based 
on a stronghold of Information and 
Communications Technology (ICT), with 
the foremost aim of making technology 
“inclusive”, “affordable”, “transformative”, and 
“accessible” for all. The Government's initiatives such 
as Digital India, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), and 
Government e-Marketplace (GeM) aim to actively 
transform India into both a knowledge-based economy 
and a digitally-empowered society. As less-affluent States 
leapfrog to catch up with more-affluent States, India’s 
digital divide has been decreasing rapidly. Seven of the 
ten States with the fastest growth in internet subscribers 
have per capita GDP lower than India’s average between 
2014 and 2018. Uttar Pradesh alone added 36 million 
internet subscriptions over this time span, accounting for  
12 per cent of India’s total incremental internet 
subscriptions. Similarly, eight of the top ten States with 
the most gram panchayats covered by Common Service 
Centres (CSCs) had a lower GDP per capita than India as 
a whole.
In today’s India, financial inclusion is at the heart of 
its social-security system. The Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan 
Yojana (PMJDY) resulted in a massive increase in financial 
inclusion. Further, fintech is expanding on the achievement 
of financial inclusion by providing a variety of payment 
and transaction possibilities. For example, BHIM and UPI 
have clearly improved people’s quality of life. According 
to the National Payments Corporation of India, till  
March 2022, UPI had processed 5.04 billion transactions, 
amounting to Rs 8.88 trillion
1
. This is incredible in terms 
of both volume and value. The next ‘fix’ being used is to 
deploy these channels to increase formal credit access to 
Digital Service Delivery
Ishita Sirsikar
The author is a researcher, Strategic Investment Research Unit, Invest India. Email: ishita.sirsikar@investindia.org.in
Technology is increasingly demonstrating its ability to solve problems in critical socio- economic 
areas such as financial inclusion and healthcare. Data analytics, artificial intelligence, 
machine learning, and India’s growing digital footprint have resulted in a plethora of products 
and services for ordinary citizens. It is critical for policymakers to facilitate and accelerate this 
technology adoption to the grassroots.
fInAncIAl InclusIon T
make credit more accessible and affordable. If we look 
at the financial inclusion ecosystem in India, an array of 
changes made over the past decade or so has gone a long 
way in ensuring increased levels of financial inclusivity in 
our villages. Looking back, one of the biggest challenges 
that we faced in this area was to boost the supply of 
financial services to meet increasing levels of demand. The 
lack of proper infrastructure and high operational costs 
constrained the government’s efforts to reach the last mile, 
leaving a considerable number of rural families behind. In 
Page 2


YOJANA   May 2022 35
he Indian digital story has evolved based 
on a stronghold of Information and 
Communications Technology (ICT), with 
the foremost aim of making technology 
“inclusive”, “affordable”, “transformative”, and 
“accessible” for all. The Government's initiatives such 
as Digital India, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), and 
Government e-Marketplace (GeM) aim to actively 
transform India into both a knowledge-based economy 
and a digitally-empowered society. As less-affluent States 
leapfrog to catch up with more-affluent States, India’s 
digital divide has been decreasing rapidly. Seven of the 
ten States with the fastest growth in internet subscribers 
have per capita GDP lower than India’s average between 
2014 and 2018. Uttar Pradesh alone added 36 million 
internet subscriptions over this time span, accounting for  
12 per cent of India’s total incremental internet 
subscriptions. Similarly, eight of the top ten States with 
the most gram panchayats covered by Common Service 
Centres (CSCs) had a lower GDP per capita than India as 
a whole.
In today’s India, financial inclusion is at the heart of 
its social-security system. The Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan 
Yojana (PMJDY) resulted in a massive increase in financial 
inclusion. Further, fintech is expanding on the achievement 
of financial inclusion by providing a variety of payment 
and transaction possibilities. For example, BHIM and UPI 
have clearly improved people’s quality of life. According 
to the National Payments Corporation of India, till  
March 2022, UPI had processed 5.04 billion transactions, 
amounting to Rs 8.88 trillion
1
. This is incredible in terms 
of both volume and value. The next ‘fix’ being used is to 
deploy these channels to increase formal credit access to 
Digital Service Delivery
Ishita Sirsikar
The author is a researcher, Strategic Investment Research Unit, Invest India. Email: ishita.sirsikar@investindia.org.in
Technology is increasingly demonstrating its ability to solve problems in critical socio- economic 
areas such as financial inclusion and healthcare. Data analytics, artificial intelligence, 
machine learning, and India’s growing digital footprint have resulted in a plethora of products 
and services for ordinary citizens. It is critical for policymakers to facilitate and accelerate this 
technology adoption to the grassroots.
fInAncIAl InclusIon T
make credit more accessible and affordable. If we look 
at the financial inclusion ecosystem in India, an array of 
changes made over the past decade or so has gone a long 
way in ensuring increased levels of financial inclusivity in 
our villages. Looking back, one of the biggest challenges 
that we faced in this area was to boost the supply of 
financial services to meet increasing levels of demand. The 
lack of proper infrastructure and high operational costs 
constrained the government’s efforts to reach the last mile, 
leaving a considerable number of rural families behind. In 
36 YOJANA   May 2022
the last decade, however, advances in technology, goods 
and channels, and regulatory frameworks have finally 
brought financial services to the fingertips of millions of 
individuals, especially the rural population.
In India, several advancements have been made in the 
delivery of financial services. The Union Cabinet approved 
a scheme called “Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta 
Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)” in 2017 to promote digital literacy 
in rural India by covering 6 crore rural households. This is 
the world’s largest digital literacy programme, under which 
so far, around 5.78 crore individuals have been enrolled, 
and 4.90 crore have been trained, with approximately 3.62 
crore candidates receiving certification under this system.
2
 
Frameworks such as fintech unicorns, Optical Fibre 
Connectivity (BharatNet), Smart Villages, and CSCs have 
been significant in minimising the cost of client acquisition 
for a market of over a billion people. These projects have 
provided remote communities with an unprecedented 
opportunity. Mobile network providers have been able 
to bring superior data connectivity and mobile networks 
to rural areas owing to rapidly decreasing smartphone 
prices, providing individuals real-time 
connectivity, and access.
Through the combination of 
Jan Dhan bank accounts and mobile 
phones and the establishment of digital 
identity through Aadhaar, the poor can 
now receive benefits directly into their 
bank accounts. More than Rs 36,659 
crore has been transferred using DBTs 
through Public Financial Management 
System (PFMS) in the bank accounts 
of millions of beneficiaries. During 
the pandemic, cash benefits announced 
under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) 
have also been transferred using DBT, mostly to the 
poorest households. 
The JAM trinity (Jan Dhan accounts, the Aadhaar 
ID system, and mobile technology) when combined with 
abundant data on customer behaviours and preferences can 
enable the creation of entirely new business models that 
offer highly efficient, scalable, and intelligent processes 
for customer acquisition, servicing, cross-selling, and  
up-selling.
In recent years— digital banking, digital payments, 
and fintech innovations have exploded in popularity 
in the country. The Government continues to support 
these industries in order to ensure that the benefits of 
digital banking reach every corner of the country in a  
consumer-friendly manner. To forward this objective and 
mark the country’s 75
th
 anniversary of independence, 
Scheduled Commercial Banks are proposing the 
establishment of 75 Digital Banking Units (DBUs) in  
75 districts across the country.
India has been witnessing a spurt of digital payments 
owing to increased transparency and accountability in the 
past few years. As of 29 March 2022, UPI had processed 
5.04 billion transactions, which was 11.5 per cent higher 
in volume than February and around 7.5 per cent higher in 
terms of the value of transactions processed. Over 2 trillion 
transactions were processed using the AePS (Aadhaar 
Enabled Payment System) last year.
3
Besides ensuring ease of living, technology has 
several other critical applications in domains such as 
healthcare. The shortage of doctors, the availability 
and affordability of pharmaceuticals, and the absence 
of universally available healthcare are all challenges in 
Indian healthcare. Continuing with the government’s 
Digital India initiative, the Prime Minister launched the 
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission in September 2021 
to create a digital health repository for all Indians. To 
further the use of technology in medicine, there has been 
an unprecedented expansion of telemedicine during the 
pandemic. Till the end of September 2021, around 125 
crore remote consultations have been 
completed under the eSanjeevani 
portal. Everyday, this facility connects 
thousands of citizens living in remote 
areas of the country with doctors from 
large city hospitals from the comforts 
of their homes. Further, people of 
all ages have been affected by the 
pandemic, which has exacerbated 
mental health issues. A ‘National 
Tele Mental Health Programme’ has 
been developed to improve access to  
high-quality mental health counselling 
Financial inclusion is at the 
heart of its social-security 
system. If we look at the 
financial inclusion ecosystem in 
India, an array of changes made 
over the past decade or so has 
gone a long way in ensuring 
increased levels of financial 
inclusivity in our villages.
Page 3


YOJANA   May 2022 35
he Indian digital story has evolved based 
on a stronghold of Information and 
Communications Technology (ICT), with 
the foremost aim of making technology 
“inclusive”, “affordable”, “transformative”, and 
“accessible” for all. The Government's initiatives such 
as Digital India, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), and 
Government e-Marketplace (GeM) aim to actively 
transform India into both a knowledge-based economy 
and a digitally-empowered society. As less-affluent States 
leapfrog to catch up with more-affluent States, India’s 
digital divide has been decreasing rapidly. Seven of the 
ten States with the fastest growth in internet subscribers 
have per capita GDP lower than India’s average between 
2014 and 2018. Uttar Pradesh alone added 36 million 
internet subscriptions over this time span, accounting for  
12 per cent of India’s total incremental internet 
subscriptions. Similarly, eight of the top ten States with 
the most gram panchayats covered by Common Service 
Centres (CSCs) had a lower GDP per capita than India as 
a whole.
In today’s India, financial inclusion is at the heart of 
its social-security system. The Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan 
Yojana (PMJDY) resulted in a massive increase in financial 
inclusion. Further, fintech is expanding on the achievement 
of financial inclusion by providing a variety of payment 
and transaction possibilities. For example, BHIM and UPI 
have clearly improved people’s quality of life. According 
to the National Payments Corporation of India, till  
March 2022, UPI had processed 5.04 billion transactions, 
amounting to Rs 8.88 trillion
1
. This is incredible in terms 
of both volume and value. The next ‘fix’ being used is to 
deploy these channels to increase formal credit access to 
Digital Service Delivery
Ishita Sirsikar
The author is a researcher, Strategic Investment Research Unit, Invest India. Email: ishita.sirsikar@investindia.org.in
Technology is increasingly demonstrating its ability to solve problems in critical socio- economic 
areas such as financial inclusion and healthcare. Data analytics, artificial intelligence, 
machine learning, and India’s growing digital footprint have resulted in a plethora of products 
and services for ordinary citizens. It is critical for policymakers to facilitate and accelerate this 
technology adoption to the grassroots.
fInAncIAl InclusIon T
make credit more accessible and affordable. If we look 
at the financial inclusion ecosystem in India, an array of 
changes made over the past decade or so has gone a long 
way in ensuring increased levels of financial inclusivity in 
our villages. Looking back, one of the biggest challenges 
that we faced in this area was to boost the supply of 
financial services to meet increasing levels of demand. The 
lack of proper infrastructure and high operational costs 
constrained the government’s efforts to reach the last mile, 
leaving a considerable number of rural families behind. In 
36 YOJANA   May 2022
the last decade, however, advances in technology, goods 
and channels, and regulatory frameworks have finally 
brought financial services to the fingertips of millions of 
individuals, especially the rural population.
In India, several advancements have been made in the 
delivery of financial services. The Union Cabinet approved 
a scheme called “Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta 
Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)” in 2017 to promote digital literacy 
in rural India by covering 6 crore rural households. This is 
the world’s largest digital literacy programme, under which 
so far, around 5.78 crore individuals have been enrolled, 
and 4.90 crore have been trained, with approximately 3.62 
crore candidates receiving certification under this system.
2
 
Frameworks such as fintech unicorns, Optical Fibre 
Connectivity (BharatNet), Smart Villages, and CSCs have 
been significant in minimising the cost of client acquisition 
for a market of over a billion people. These projects have 
provided remote communities with an unprecedented 
opportunity. Mobile network providers have been able 
to bring superior data connectivity and mobile networks 
to rural areas owing to rapidly decreasing smartphone 
prices, providing individuals real-time 
connectivity, and access.
Through the combination of 
Jan Dhan bank accounts and mobile 
phones and the establishment of digital 
identity through Aadhaar, the poor can 
now receive benefits directly into their 
bank accounts. More than Rs 36,659 
crore has been transferred using DBTs 
through Public Financial Management 
System (PFMS) in the bank accounts 
of millions of beneficiaries. During 
the pandemic, cash benefits announced 
under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) 
have also been transferred using DBT, mostly to the 
poorest households. 
The JAM trinity (Jan Dhan accounts, the Aadhaar 
ID system, and mobile technology) when combined with 
abundant data on customer behaviours and preferences can 
enable the creation of entirely new business models that 
offer highly efficient, scalable, and intelligent processes 
for customer acquisition, servicing, cross-selling, and  
up-selling.
In recent years— digital banking, digital payments, 
and fintech innovations have exploded in popularity 
in the country. The Government continues to support 
these industries in order to ensure that the benefits of 
digital banking reach every corner of the country in a  
consumer-friendly manner. To forward this objective and 
mark the country’s 75
th
 anniversary of independence, 
Scheduled Commercial Banks are proposing the 
establishment of 75 Digital Banking Units (DBUs) in  
75 districts across the country.
India has been witnessing a spurt of digital payments 
owing to increased transparency and accountability in the 
past few years. As of 29 March 2022, UPI had processed 
5.04 billion transactions, which was 11.5 per cent higher 
in volume than February and around 7.5 per cent higher in 
terms of the value of transactions processed. Over 2 trillion 
transactions were processed using the AePS (Aadhaar 
Enabled Payment System) last year.
3
Besides ensuring ease of living, technology has 
several other critical applications in domains such as 
healthcare. The shortage of doctors, the availability 
and affordability of pharmaceuticals, and the absence 
of universally available healthcare are all challenges in 
Indian healthcare. Continuing with the government’s 
Digital India initiative, the Prime Minister launched the 
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission in September 2021 
to create a digital health repository for all Indians. To 
further the use of technology in medicine, there has been 
an unprecedented expansion of telemedicine during the 
pandemic. Till the end of September 2021, around 125 
crore remote consultations have been 
completed under the eSanjeevani 
portal. Everyday, this facility connects 
thousands of citizens living in remote 
areas of the country with doctors from 
large city hospitals from the comforts 
of their homes. Further, people of 
all ages have been affected by the 
pandemic, which has exacerbated 
mental health issues. A ‘National 
Tele Mental Health Programme’ has 
been developed to improve access to  
high-quality mental health counselling 
Financial inclusion is at the 
heart of its social-security 
system. If we look at the 
financial inclusion ecosystem in 
India, an array of changes made 
over the past decade or so has 
gone a long way in ensuring 
increased levels of financial 
inclusivity in our villages.
YOJANA   May 2022 37
Through the combination of  
Jan Dhan bank accounts 
and mobile phones and the 
establishment of digital identity 
through Aadhaar, the poor can 
now receive benefits directly 
into their bank accounts. In 
recent years— digital banking, 
digital payments, and fintech 
innovations have exploded 
in popularity in the country. 
Scheduled Commercial Banks 
are proposing the establishment 
of 75 Digital Banking Units 
(DBUs) in 75 districts across the 
country.
and treatment services. This would 
feature a network of 23 world-class 
tele-mental health centres, with 
NIMHANS serving as the nodal 
centre and the International Institute 
of Information Technology Bangalore 
(IIITB) providing technical support.
In times of rapid change in the 
post-Covid world, technology should 
be at the forefront of healthcare as it 
has the potential to revolutionise the 
Indian healthcare ecosystem. E-health 
can ensure efficiency in healthcare, 
thereby lowering costs, and it can 
also enhance the quality of healthcare 
by allowing comparisons between 
different service providers, it can 
promote evidence-based treatment, 
and can empower patients by making 
medicine’s knowledge base and 
personal electronic records accessible. 
Doing so would also be crucial in increasing the scope of 
healthcare beyond its traditional boundaries. 
“Digital delivery of services” has simplified the manner 
in which citizens interact with the government, helping 
them to effectively avail various services and enhance 
their overall standard of living. CSCs are the world’s 
largest digital service delivery network, with a broad reach 
in rural areas up to Gram Panchayat and Block level. 
These broadband-connected kiosks with information and 
communication technologies have been offering citizens 
a variety of government, private, and 
social services. Between 1 January 
and 31 October 2020, 6,467 additional 
functional CSCs (both urban and rural) 
were added, with 10,339 functional 
CSCs added at the Gram Panchayat 
level.
4 
Recently, CSCs have become 
centres for digital empowerment in 
rural areas and are actively playing the 
role of disseminating digital literacy at 
the grassroot levels. 
Further, through Jeevan Pramaan 
or Digital Life Certificate, biometric-
enabled digital service, pensioners 
of Central Government, State 
Government, EPFO, or any other 
government organisations can take 
benefit at their doorstep or at any 
post offices.
5
 Since 2014, over 2.48 
crore digital life certificates have been 
submitted. 
The UMANG mobile app (Unified Mobile 
Application for New-age Governance) is an  
all-in-one single, unified, secure, multi-channel,  
multi-lingual, and multi-service mobile app that provides 
access to high-impact services of various GoI Departments 
and State governments. The app has now grown to provide 
2039 services and the count is galloping ahead on a  
real-time basis. Over 3 years, UMANG has reached a level 
of more than 3.75 crore downloads and 2.5 crore registered 
users.
6,4 
Citizens can find government institutions near 
them, such as mandis, blood banks, and more, at the touch 
of a button, thanks to the integration of UMANG with 
MapmyIndia Maps. Through such efforts, the government 
has been expanding the basket of services for citizens 
through deeper technology access. 
The UMANG application has already started providing 
the following functionalities: 
y y Mera Ration: helps users identify and navigate to the 
nearest Fair Price Shops.
y y eNam: Through the ‘Mandi Near Me’ service on 
UMANG, users can identify and navigate to the 
nearby mandis pointed on the map.
y y ‘Damini Lightning Alerts’ service gives users a 
visual of nearby places where lightning has struck in 
the recent few minutes to offer lightning alerts. On the 
map display, this alert mechanism shows the potential 
of lightning strikes.
Further, services like DigiLocker aim to give citizens 
access to all their lifelong documents in a single digital 
wallet and all such government-issued citizen-centric 
proof documents are equally valid under Indian laws. 
Page 4


YOJANA   May 2022 35
he Indian digital story has evolved based 
on a stronghold of Information and 
Communications Technology (ICT), with 
the foremost aim of making technology 
“inclusive”, “affordable”, “transformative”, and 
“accessible” for all. The Government's initiatives such 
as Digital India, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), and 
Government e-Marketplace (GeM) aim to actively 
transform India into both a knowledge-based economy 
and a digitally-empowered society. As less-affluent States 
leapfrog to catch up with more-affluent States, India’s 
digital divide has been decreasing rapidly. Seven of the 
ten States with the fastest growth in internet subscribers 
have per capita GDP lower than India’s average between 
2014 and 2018. Uttar Pradesh alone added 36 million 
internet subscriptions over this time span, accounting for  
12 per cent of India’s total incremental internet 
subscriptions. Similarly, eight of the top ten States with 
the most gram panchayats covered by Common Service 
Centres (CSCs) had a lower GDP per capita than India as 
a whole.
In today’s India, financial inclusion is at the heart of 
its social-security system. The Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan 
Yojana (PMJDY) resulted in a massive increase in financial 
inclusion. Further, fintech is expanding on the achievement 
of financial inclusion by providing a variety of payment 
and transaction possibilities. For example, BHIM and UPI 
have clearly improved people’s quality of life. According 
to the National Payments Corporation of India, till  
March 2022, UPI had processed 5.04 billion transactions, 
amounting to Rs 8.88 trillion
1
. This is incredible in terms 
of both volume and value. The next ‘fix’ being used is to 
deploy these channels to increase formal credit access to 
Digital Service Delivery
Ishita Sirsikar
The author is a researcher, Strategic Investment Research Unit, Invest India. Email: ishita.sirsikar@investindia.org.in
Technology is increasingly demonstrating its ability to solve problems in critical socio- economic 
areas such as financial inclusion and healthcare. Data analytics, artificial intelligence, 
machine learning, and India’s growing digital footprint have resulted in a plethora of products 
and services for ordinary citizens. It is critical for policymakers to facilitate and accelerate this 
technology adoption to the grassroots.
fInAncIAl InclusIon T
make credit more accessible and affordable. If we look 
at the financial inclusion ecosystem in India, an array of 
changes made over the past decade or so has gone a long 
way in ensuring increased levels of financial inclusivity in 
our villages. Looking back, one of the biggest challenges 
that we faced in this area was to boost the supply of 
financial services to meet increasing levels of demand. The 
lack of proper infrastructure and high operational costs 
constrained the government’s efforts to reach the last mile, 
leaving a considerable number of rural families behind. In 
36 YOJANA   May 2022
the last decade, however, advances in technology, goods 
and channels, and regulatory frameworks have finally 
brought financial services to the fingertips of millions of 
individuals, especially the rural population.
In India, several advancements have been made in the 
delivery of financial services. The Union Cabinet approved 
a scheme called “Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta 
Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)” in 2017 to promote digital literacy 
in rural India by covering 6 crore rural households. This is 
the world’s largest digital literacy programme, under which 
so far, around 5.78 crore individuals have been enrolled, 
and 4.90 crore have been trained, with approximately 3.62 
crore candidates receiving certification under this system.
2
 
Frameworks such as fintech unicorns, Optical Fibre 
Connectivity (BharatNet), Smart Villages, and CSCs have 
been significant in minimising the cost of client acquisition 
for a market of over a billion people. These projects have 
provided remote communities with an unprecedented 
opportunity. Mobile network providers have been able 
to bring superior data connectivity and mobile networks 
to rural areas owing to rapidly decreasing smartphone 
prices, providing individuals real-time 
connectivity, and access.
Through the combination of 
Jan Dhan bank accounts and mobile 
phones and the establishment of digital 
identity through Aadhaar, the poor can 
now receive benefits directly into their 
bank accounts. More than Rs 36,659 
crore has been transferred using DBTs 
through Public Financial Management 
System (PFMS) in the bank accounts 
of millions of beneficiaries. During 
the pandemic, cash benefits announced 
under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) 
have also been transferred using DBT, mostly to the 
poorest households. 
The JAM trinity (Jan Dhan accounts, the Aadhaar 
ID system, and mobile technology) when combined with 
abundant data on customer behaviours and preferences can 
enable the creation of entirely new business models that 
offer highly efficient, scalable, and intelligent processes 
for customer acquisition, servicing, cross-selling, and  
up-selling.
In recent years— digital banking, digital payments, 
and fintech innovations have exploded in popularity 
in the country. The Government continues to support 
these industries in order to ensure that the benefits of 
digital banking reach every corner of the country in a  
consumer-friendly manner. To forward this objective and 
mark the country’s 75
th
 anniversary of independence, 
Scheduled Commercial Banks are proposing the 
establishment of 75 Digital Banking Units (DBUs) in  
75 districts across the country.
India has been witnessing a spurt of digital payments 
owing to increased transparency and accountability in the 
past few years. As of 29 March 2022, UPI had processed 
5.04 billion transactions, which was 11.5 per cent higher 
in volume than February and around 7.5 per cent higher in 
terms of the value of transactions processed. Over 2 trillion 
transactions were processed using the AePS (Aadhaar 
Enabled Payment System) last year.
3
Besides ensuring ease of living, technology has 
several other critical applications in domains such as 
healthcare. The shortage of doctors, the availability 
and affordability of pharmaceuticals, and the absence 
of universally available healthcare are all challenges in 
Indian healthcare. Continuing with the government’s 
Digital India initiative, the Prime Minister launched the 
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission in September 2021 
to create a digital health repository for all Indians. To 
further the use of technology in medicine, there has been 
an unprecedented expansion of telemedicine during the 
pandemic. Till the end of September 2021, around 125 
crore remote consultations have been 
completed under the eSanjeevani 
portal. Everyday, this facility connects 
thousands of citizens living in remote 
areas of the country with doctors from 
large city hospitals from the comforts 
of their homes. Further, people of 
all ages have been affected by the 
pandemic, which has exacerbated 
mental health issues. A ‘National 
Tele Mental Health Programme’ has 
been developed to improve access to  
high-quality mental health counselling 
Financial inclusion is at the 
heart of its social-security 
system. If we look at the 
financial inclusion ecosystem in 
India, an array of changes made 
over the past decade or so has 
gone a long way in ensuring 
increased levels of financial 
inclusivity in our villages.
YOJANA   May 2022 37
Through the combination of  
Jan Dhan bank accounts 
and mobile phones and the 
establishment of digital identity 
through Aadhaar, the poor can 
now receive benefits directly 
into their bank accounts. In 
recent years— digital banking, 
digital payments, and fintech 
innovations have exploded 
in popularity in the country. 
Scheduled Commercial Banks 
are proposing the establishment 
of 75 Digital Banking Units 
(DBUs) in 75 districts across the 
country.
and treatment services. This would 
feature a network of 23 world-class 
tele-mental health centres, with 
NIMHANS serving as the nodal 
centre and the International Institute 
of Information Technology Bangalore 
(IIITB) providing technical support.
In times of rapid change in the 
post-Covid world, technology should 
be at the forefront of healthcare as it 
has the potential to revolutionise the 
Indian healthcare ecosystem. E-health 
can ensure efficiency in healthcare, 
thereby lowering costs, and it can 
also enhance the quality of healthcare 
by allowing comparisons between 
different service providers, it can 
promote evidence-based treatment, 
and can empower patients by making 
medicine’s knowledge base and 
personal electronic records accessible. 
Doing so would also be crucial in increasing the scope of 
healthcare beyond its traditional boundaries. 
“Digital delivery of services” has simplified the manner 
in which citizens interact with the government, helping 
them to effectively avail various services and enhance 
their overall standard of living. CSCs are the world’s 
largest digital service delivery network, with a broad reach 
in rural areas up to Gram Panchayat and Block level. 
These broadband-connected kiosks with information and 
communication technologies have been offering citizens 
a variety of government, private, and 
social services. Between 1 January 
and 31 October 2020, 6,467 additional 
functional CSCs (both urban and rural) 
were added, with 10,339 functional 
CSCs added at the Gram Panchayat 
level.
4 
Recently, CSCs have become 
centres for digital empowerment in 
rural areas and are actively playing the 
role of disseminating digital literacy at 
the grassroot levels. 
Further, through Jeevan Pramaan 
or Digital Life Certificate, biometric-
enabled digital service, pensioners 
of Central Government, State 
Government, EPFO, or any other 
government organisations can take 
benefit at their doorstep or at any 
post offices.
5
 Since 2014, over 2.48 
crore digital life certificates have been 
submitted. 
The UMANG mobile app (Unified Mobile 
Application for New-age Governance) is an  
all-in-one single, unified, secure, multi-channel,  
multi-lingual, and multi-service mobile app that provides 
access to high-impact services of various GoI Departments 
and State governments. The app has now grown to provide 
2039 services and the count is galloping ahead on a  
real-time basis. Over 3 years, UMANG has reached a level 
of more than 3.75 crore downloads and 2.5 crore registered 
users.
6,4 
Citizens can find government institutions near 
them, such as mandis, blood banks, and more, at the touch 
of a button, thanks to the integration of UMANG with 
MapmyIndia Maps. Through such efforts, the government 
has been expanding the basket of services for citizens 
through deeper technology access. 
The UMANG application has already started providing 
the following functionalities: 
y y Mera Ration: helps users identify and navigate to the 
nearest Fair Price Shops.
y y eNam: Through the ‘Mandi Near Me’ service on 
UMANG, users can identify and navigate to the 
nearby mandis pointed on the map.
y y ‘Damini Lightning Alerts’ service gives users a 
visual of nearby places where lightning has struck in 
the recent few minutes to offer lightning alerts. On the 
map display, this alert mechanism shows the potential 
of lightning strikes.
Further, services like DigiLocker aim to give citizens 
access to all their lifelong documents in a single digital 
wallet and all such government-issued citizen-centric 
proof documents are equally valid under Indian laws. 
38 YOJANA   May 2022
DigiLocker already issues digital 
copies of Ration Cards and Marriage 
Certificates for a majority of Indian 
States. Additionally, DigiLocker is in 
discussion with Passport Seva for the 
issuance of Passport to further enhance 
coverage of citizen services digitally.
7
Agriculture is another domain 
where technology finds much relevance, 
particularly in the Indian context. For 
Indian farmers, the deployment of ‘Kisan 
drones’ and the push for technology-
driven agriculture would be beneficial in 
ensuring quality produce with procedures 
in place for regular checks. Agriculture 
is a key source of income for around  
58 per cent of India’s population, making agricultural reforms 
critical to the country’s development. The government has 
identified the value chain for farm produce as a critical area 
for capital infusion. This would be accomplished by a blended 
capital fund raised under the co-investment approach, which 
would be handled by NABARD. This fund would give the 
required financial capital to agricultural and rural businesses 
that are just getting started. The use of the state-of-the-art 
drones for the purpose of spraying fertilisers, and monitoring 
yield and produce would aid the farmers in producing  
high-quality yield with reduced levels of labour. 
The Union Budget 2022 added much emphasis on 
greater technological adoption across different segments 
of the economy such as skill development. An e-portal 
for a digital ecosystem for skilling and livelihood known 
as DESH STACK will aid in skilling, up-skilling, and 
reskilling, thus, playing a huge role in digitally empowering 
citizens. Besides this, the portal will also provide an  
API-based trusted skill credential, payment, and discovery 
layers which will be crucial in aiding potential job seekers 
to find relevant jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities.
As we have entered the Amrit 
Kaal, the 25 years leading up to the 
100 years of independence, it is clear 
that technology is and will be a catalyst 
in driving socio-economic progress. 
Technology is the way forward to 
address the aspiration and potential of 
1.3 billion Indians. By 2025, India’s 
digital transformation could provide a 
five-fold increase in economic value, 
resulting in a rapidly rising market 
for a variety of digital services, 
platforms, apps, content, and solutions. 
Global and local firms, startups, and  
platform-based innovators who will 
be investing in emerging technologies 
such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, drones, and 
robotics will find this to be an appealing prospect in the 
growth journey of India.                                                    ?
References
1. https://www.business-standard.com/article/finance/upi-
processes-5-bn-transactions-in-march-gets-set-for-new-
record-122033100529_1.html.
2. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1812277
3. https://pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1759602
4. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1786560
5. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1769142
6. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1675131
7. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1811368
Endnotes
1. https://meity.gov.in/writereaddata/files/india_trillion-dollar_
digital_opportunity.pdf
2. https://www.niti.gov.in/index.php/embracing-technology
3. https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/government_tr_rec/leveraging-the-
power-of-jam-jan-dhan-aadhar-and-mobile/
4. Grameen Foundation India.
Common Service Centres 
(CSCs) are the world's largest 
digital service delivery 
network, with a broad reach 
in rural areas up to Gram 
Panchayat and Block level. 
These broadband-connected 
kiosks with information and 
communication technologies 
have been offering citizens a 
variety of government, private, 
and social services. 
Page 5


YOJANA   May 2022 35
he Indian digital story has evolved based 
on a stronghold of Information and 
Communications Technology (ICT), with 
the foremost aim of making technology 
“inclusive”, “affordable”, “transformative”, and 
“accessible” for all. The Government's initiatives such 
as Digital India, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), and 
Government e-Marketplace (GeM) aim to actively 
transform India into both a knowledge-based economy 
and a digitally-empowered society. As less-affluent States 
leapfrog to catch up with more-affluent States, India’s 
digital divide has been decreasing rapidly. Seven of the 
ten States with the fastest growth in internet subscribers 
have per capita GDP lower than India’s average between 
2014 and 2018. Uttar Pradesh alone added 36 million 
internet subscriptions over this time span, accounting for  
12 per cent of India’s total incremental internet 
subscriptions. Similarly, eight of the top ten States with 
the most gram panchayats covered by Common Service 
Centres (CSCs) had a lower GDP per capita than India as 
a whole.
In today’s India, financial inclusion is at the heart of 
its social-security system. The Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan 
Yojana (PMJDY) resulted in a massive increase in financial 
inclusion. Further, fintech is expanding on the achievement 
of financial inclusion by providing a variety of payment 
and transaction possibilities. For example, BHIM and UPI 
have clearly improved people’s quality of life. According 
to the National Payments Corporation of India, till  
March 2022, UPI had processed 5.04 billion transactions, 
amounting to Rs 8.88 trillion
1
. This is incredible in terms 
of both volume and value. The next ‘fix’ being used is to 
deploy these channels to increase formal credit access to 
Digital Service Delivery
Ishita Sirsikar
The author is a researcher, Strategic Investment Research Unit, Invest India. Email: ishita.sirsikar@investindia.org.in
Technology is increasingly demonstrating its ability to solve problems in critical socio- economic 
areas such as financial inclusion and healthcare. Data analytics, artificial intelligence, 
machine learning, and India’s growing digital footprint have resulted in a plethora of products 
and services for ordinary citizens. It is critical for policymakers to facilitate and accelerate this 
technology adoption to the grassroots.
fInAncIAl InclusIon T
make credit more accessible and affordable. If we look 
at the financial inclusion ecosystem in India, an array of 
changes made over the past decade or so has gone a long 
way in ensuring increased levels of financial inclusivity in 
our villages. Looking back, one of the biggest challenges 
that we faced in this area was to boost the supply of 
financial services to meet increasing levels of demand. The 
lack of proper infrastructure and high operational costs 
constrained the government’s efforts to reach the last mile, 
leaving a considerable number of rural families behind. In 
36 YOJANA   May 2022
the last decade, however, advances in technology, goods 
and channels, and regulatory frameworks have finally 
brought financial services to the fingertips of millions of 
individuals, especially the rural population.
In India, several advancements have been made in the 
delivery of financial services. The Union Cabinet approved 
a scheme called “Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta 
Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)” in 2017 to promote digital literacy 
in rural India by covering 6 crore rural households. This is 
the world’s largest digital literacy programme, under which 
so far, around 5.78 crore individuals have been enrolled, 
and 4.90 crore have been trained, with approximately 3.62 
crore candidates receiving certification under this system.
2
 
Frameworks such as fintech unicorns, Optical Fibre 
Connectivity (BharatNet), Smart Villages, and CSCs have 
been significant in minimising the cost of client acquisition 
for a market of over a billion people. These projects have 
provided remote communities with an unprecedented 
opportunity. Mobile network providers have been able 
to bring superior data connectivity and mobile networks 
to rural areas owing to rapidly decreasing smartphone 
prices, providing individuals real-time 
connectivity, and access.
Through the combination of 
Jan Dhan bank accounts and mobile 
phones and the establishment of digital 
identity through Aadhaar, the poor can 
now receive benefits directly into their 
bank accounts. More than Rs 36,659 
crore has been transferred using DBTs 
through Public Financial Management 
System (PFMS) in the bank accounts 
of millions of beneficiaries. During 
the pandemic, cash benefits announced 
under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) 
have also been transferred using DBT, mostly to the 
poorest households. 
The JAM trinity (Jan Dhan accounts, the Aadhaar 
ID system, and mobile technology) when combined with 
abundant data on customer behaviours and preferences can 
enable the creation of entirely new business models that 
offer highly efficient, scalable, and intelligent processes 
for customer acquisition, servicing, cross-selling, and  
up-selling.
In recent years— digital banking, digital payments, 
and fintech innovations have exploded in popularity 
in the country. The Government continues to support 
these industries in order to ensure that the benefits of 
digital banking reach every corner of the country in a  
consumer-friendly manner. To forward this objective and 
mark the country’s 75
th
 anniversary of independence, 
Scheduled Commercial Banks are proposing the 
establishment of 75 Digital Banking Units (DBUs) in  
75 districts across the country.
India has been witnessing a spurt of digital payments 
owing to increased transparency and accountability in the 
past few years. As of 29 March 2022, UPI had processed 
5.04 billion transactions, which was 11.5 per cent higher 
in volume than February and around 7.5 per cent higher in 
terms of the value of transactions processed. Over 2 trillion 
transactions were processed using the AePS (Aadhaar 
Enabled Payment System) last year.
3
Besides ensuring ease of living, technology has 
several other critical applications in domains such as 
healthcare. The shortage of doctors, the availability 
and affordability of pharmaceuticals, and the absence 
of universally available healthcare are all challenges in 
Indian healthcare. Continuing with the government’s 
Digital India initiative, the Prime Minister launched the 
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission in September 2021 
to create a digital health repository for all Indians. To 
further the use of technology in medicine, there has been 
an unprecedented expansion of telemedicine during the 
pandemic. Till the end of September 2021, around 125 
crore remote consultations have been 
completed under the eSanjeevani 
portal. Everyday, this facility connects 
thousands of citizens living in remote 
areas of the country with doctors from 
large city hospitals from the comforts 
of their homes. Further, people of 
all ages have been affected by the 
pandemic, which has exacerbated 
mental health issues. A ‘National 
Tele Mental Health Programme’ has 
been developed to improve access to  
high-quality mental health counselling 
Financial inclusion is at the 
heart of its social-security 
system. If we look at the 
financial inclusion ecosystem in 
India, an array of changes made 
over the past decade or so has 
gone a long way in ensuring 
increased levels of financial 
inclusivity in our villages.
YOJANA   May 2022 37
Through the combination of  
Jan Dhan bank accounts 
and mobile phones and the 
establishment of digital identity 
through Aadhaar, the poor can 
now receive benefits directly 
into their bank accounts. In 
recent years— digital banking, 
digital payments, and fintech 
innovations have exploded 
in popularity in the country. 
Scheduled Commercial Banks 
are proposing the establishment 
of 75 Digital Banking Units 
(DBUs) in 75 districts across the 
country.
and treatment services. This would 
feature a network of 23 world-class 
tele-mental health centres, with 
NIMHANS serving as the nodal 
centre and the International Institute 
of Information Technology Bangalore 
(IIITB) providing technical support.
In times of rapid change in the 
post-Covid world, technology should 
be at the forefront of healthcare as it 
has the potential to revolutionise the 
Indian healthcare ecosystem. E-health 
can ensure efficiency in healthcare, 
thereby lowering costs, and it can 
also enhance the quality of healthcare 
by allowing comparisons between 
different service providers, it can 
promote evidence-based treatment, 
and can empower patients by making 
medicine’s knowledge base and 
personal electronic records accessible. 
Doing so would also be crucial in increasing the scope of 
healthcare beyond its traditional boundaries. 
“Digital delivery of services” has simplified the manner 
in which citizens interact with the government, helping 
them to effectively avail various services and enhance 
their overall standard of living. CSCs are the world’s 
largest digital service delivery network, with a broad reach 
in rural areas up to Gram Panchayat and Block level. 
These broadband-connected kiosks with information and 
communication technologies have been offering citizens 
a variety of government, private, and 
social services. Between 1 January 
and 31 October 2020, 6,467 additional 
functional CSCs (both urban and rural) 
were added, with 10,339 functional 
CSCs added at the Gram Panchayat 
level.
4 
Recently, CSCs have become 
centres for digital empowerment in 
rural areas and are actively playing the 
role of disseminating digital literacy at 
the grassroot levels. 
Further, through Jeevan Pramaan 
or Digital Life Certificate, biometric-
enabled digital service, pensioners 
of Central Government, State 
Government, EPFO, or any other 
government organisations can take 
benefit at their doorstep or at any 
post offices.
5
 Since 2014, over 2.48 
crore digital life certificates have been 
submitted. 
The UMANG mobile app (Unified Mobile 
Application for New-age Governance) is an  
all-in-one single, unified, secure, multi-channel,  
multi-lingual, and multi-service mobile app that provides 
access to high-impact services of various GoI Departments 
and State governments. The app has now grown to provide 
2039 services and the count is galloping ahead on a  
real-time basis. Over 3 years, UMANG has reached a level 
of more than 3.75 crore downloads and 2.5 crore registered 
users.
6,4 
Citizens can find government institutions near 
them, such as mandis, blood banks, and more, at the touch 
of a button, thanks to the integration of UMANG with 
MapmyIndia Maps. Through such efforts, the government 
has been expanding the basket of services for citizens 
through deeper technology access. 
The UMANG application has already started providing 
the following functionalities: 
y y Mera Ration: helps users identify and navigate to the 
nearest Fair Price Shops.
y y eNam: Through the ‘Mandi Near Me’ service on 
UMANG, users can identify and navigate to the 
nearby mandis pointed on the map.
y y ‘Damini Lightning Alerts’ service gives users a 
visual of nearby places where lightning has struck in 
the recent few minutes to offer lightning alerts. On the 
map display, this alert mechanism shows the potential 
of lightning strikes.
Further, services like DigiLocker aim to give citizens 
access to all their lifelong documents in a single digital 
wallet and all such government-issued citizen-centric 
proof documents are equally valid under Indian laws. 
38 YOJANA   May 2022
DigiLocker already issues digital 
copies of Ration Cards and Marriage 
Certificates for a majority of Indian 
States. Additionally, DigiLocker is in 
discussion with Passport Seva for the 
issuance of Passport to further enhance 
coverage of citizen services digitally.
7
Agriculture is another domain 
where technology finds much relevance, 
particularly in the Indian context. For 
Indian farmers, the deployment of ‘Kisan 
drones’ and the push for technology-
driven agriculture would be beneficial in 
ensuring quality produce with procedures 
in place for regular checks. Agriculture 
is a key source of income for around  
58 per cent of India’s population, making agricultural reforms 
critical to the country’s development. The government has 
identified the value chain for farm produce as a critical area 
for capital infusion. This would be accomplished by a blended 
capital fund raised under the co-investment approach, which 
would be handled by NABARD. This fund would give the 
required financial capital to agricultural and rural businesses 
that are just getting started. The use of the state-of-the-art 
drones for the purpose of spraying fertilisers, and monitoring 
yield and produce would aid the farmers in producing  
high-quality yield with reduced levels of labour. 
The Union Budget 2022 added much emphasis on 
greater technological adoption across different segments 
of the economy such as skill development. An e-portal 
for a digital ecosystem for skilling and livelihood known 
as DESH STACK will aid in skilling, up-skilling, and 
reskilling, thus, playing a huge role in digitally empowering 
citizens. Besides this, the portal will also provide an  
API-based trusted skill credential, payment, and discovery 
layers which will be crucial in aiding potential job seekers 
to find relevant jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities.
As we have entered the Amrit 
Kaal, the 25 years leading up to the 
100 years of independence, it is clear 
that technology is and will be a catalyst 
in driving socio-economic progress. 
Technology is the way forward to 
address the aspiration and potential of 
1.3 billion Indians. By 2025, India’s 
digital transformation could provide a 
five-fold increase in economic value, 
resulting in a rapidly rising market 
for a variety of digital services, 
platforms, apps, content, and solutions. 
Global and local firms, startups, and  
platform-based innovators who will 
be investing in emerging technologies 
such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, drones, and 
robotics will find this to be an appealing prospect in the 
growth journey of India.                                                    ?
References
1. https://www.business-standard.com/article/finance/upi-
processes-5-bn-transactions-in-march-gets-set-for-new-
record-122033100529_1.html.
2. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1812277
3. https://pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1759602
4. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1786560
5. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1769142
6. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1675131
7. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1811368
Endnotes
1. https://meity.gov.in/writereaddata/files/india_trillion-dollar_
digital_opportunity.pdf
2. https://www.niti.gov.in/index.php/embracing-technology
3. https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/government_tr_rec/leveraging-the-
power-of-jam-jan-dhan-aadhar-and-mobile/
4. Grameen Foundation India.
Common Service Centres 
(CSCs) are the world's largest 
digital service delivery 
network, with a broad reach 
in rural areas up to Gram 
Panchayat and Block level. 
These broadband-connected 
kiosks with information and 
communication technologies 
have been offering citizens a 
variety of government, private, 
and social services. 
YOJANA   May 2022 41
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), aims to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship 
in the country by developing new programmes and policies for fostering innovation in different 
sectors of the economy, provide platform, and collaboration opportunities for different 
stakeholders. Its objective is to serve as a platform for promotion of world-class innovation 
hubs, grand challenges, startup businesses, and other self-employment activities, particularly 
in technology-driven areas.
Bridging Accessibility Gap
Ranjan S Das
Pramit Dash
Ranjan S Das is the Innovation Lead, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog. Email: ranjandas.niti@nic.in
Pramit Dash is the Director, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog. 
At Al Innov AtIon mIssIon rowth, beyond economic numbers, must 
also take into account (a) sustainability– the 
prudent use of resources without creating 
environmental or economic problems in the 
future and (b) inclusiveness– the policy measures for 
equitable opportunities to all sections of society with a 
focus on food security, health, living conditions, communal 
harmony, educational, and employment opportunities. 
Atal Innovation Mission’s initiative, namely, Atal 
Community Innovation Centre (ACIC) aims to encourage 
the spirit of innovation through solution-driven design 
thinking in serving the society and has recently declared 
its first cohort of selected institutions through a rigorous 
six-stage selection process. ACIC enables citizens to create 
cutting edge innovation by offering supportive infrastructure 
and opportunity areas spread across 
the country, with a focus on Tier 2, 
Tier 3 and underserved/unserved 
regions of Tier 1 cities, North-East, 
J&K, Aspirational Districts, Smart 
Cities, Rural and Tribal Areas; which 
will boost development of societal 
innovations and provide support to 
technology-driven areas especially by 
reducing the lab to land distance and 
creating a space for pre-incubation of 
ideas/solutions.
ACIC works in tandem to 
support UNDP’s priorities which 
G
remain anchored in its mission to continue helping 
the government in eradicating poverty and achieving 
sustainable development in order to tangibly improve 
the lives of the people. Through innovative partnerships 
which promote inclusive and equitable growth, UNDP 
is supporting greater access to national programmes like 
AIM/ACIC for vulnerable and marginalised population, 
to improve livelihoods, and augment skill-building for 
women. UNDP focuses on strengthening capabilities 
and opportunities to reduce poverty and marginalisation 
in ways that are sustainable from economic, social, and 
environmental standpoints.
UNDP and AIM signed a statement of intent in 2019 
with the aim to create an enabling ecosystem to promote 
youth leadership, innovation, and social entrepreneurship.