In India, the goals and successes of digitalization

India’s digitization history

Around two decades ago, digitization began in India, when enterprises with internet websites were highly valued. This transition was prompted by the dot-com boom when people were investing naively in firms that ended in ‘.com.’ This resulted in a windfall for Indian IT firms. Furthermore, the Indian government sought to implement an E-governance project in 2006; however the pilot was not very effective.
‘Digital India’ was established in 2015 to digitize India and boost the economy. It dramatically accelerated the revolution and altered nearly every area of government. Various industries have implemented digitalization to overcome physical constraints and expenses.

The goals of digitization

Through the planned and synchronized engagement of the entire government, digitization in India aims to make India a knowledge economy and deliver good governance to citizens. The following are some examples:

a) Infrastructure for e-business (hardware, software, human capital, networks, telecoms, etc.

b) e-commerce (how business is conducted, any process that an organization conducts over computer-mediated networks).

c) Electronic commerce (transfer of goods, for example when items are sold online).

On the other hand, the digital economy is about allowing economic breakthroughs and redefining the dimensions of commercial transactions and relationships, not only shifting transactions from offline to online.

E-Payments, The Bharat Interface for Money-Unified Payment Interface (BHIM UPI), is grit that brings together consumers and banks and is charged at the start of a transaction by various national and international digital initiatives. PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm, Amazon Pay, and other digital payment services are making an impact.

Identifying yourself as an Indian citizen
The Indian government has launched a strategic initiative to ensure that no Indian is left without a distinct identity. Approximately 99 percent of Indian people now have an Aadhaar number. The government also linked the identification status system to bank accounts and phone numbers, creating the trinity of the JAM (Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile Phone).

In India, how effective has digitization been?

Growth is slowing, and public-private partnerships (PPPs) play an increasingly important role. Technology advancements, cooperation, connection tools, and changes in management practices all impact everyday living, demonstrating the importance of digitization in everyone’s life.

However, poor and restricted access to energy in rural regions continues to be a key hindrance to the advancement of digital technologies. Making Smart Cities is a mission that will enhance the real estate, construction, steel and concrete industries, and infrastructure sectors.
‘Make in India’ and ‘Digital India’ has given the technological sector new chances. Foreign corporations are investing in India and establishing manufacturing operations to produce items sold both domestically and internationally.

The advantages and disadvantages of digitization

Pros

There are numerous advantages to digitization, including the following:

1. Accessibility is boundless and ageless, and this is done from anywhere as long as the user has been granted permission, and there is an adequate Internet connection.
2. Digitization saves many resources, making it significantly more environmentally friendly.
3. Business interactions and transactions have fundamentally changed, making them easier and more beneficial.
4. Policies and plans are more widely implemented than ever before.
5. It has increased efficiency since a digitalized Smart Factory is more efficient across the board.
   With digitalized systems and tactics, it has drastically cut time by responding to consumer requests faster and efficiently managing throughput.
6. It has had a huge effect on the economy.

Cons

There are numerous disadvantages to digitization. Among them are:

1. There is a genuineness concern.
2. The cost of implementation is high.
3. The system/strategy has a high danger of becoming obsolete fast.
4. Three elements are required for a physical document: the document, literacy, and light. On the other hand, digital media requires gear, software, electricity, and a stable Internet connection.
5. There are online frauds that can wreck a person’s life in seconds and with no fault on their part.

Digitization’s Obstacles

The following are some of the digitization challenges:

One of the most significant obstacles to digitization is a lack of digital technology access, particularly in rural areas.
One of the key problems to overcome is the resulting lack of understanding of using it. The absence of basic education among many sections of the Indian populace limits digitization’s potential.
Mobile phones and internet access are uncommon, if not non-existent, in isolated rural locations. As a result, India need more investment and attention to its digital infrastructure.

A further hurdle on the way to successful digitization is the lack of training of government officials who have responsibility for e-governance. Some e-governance programs succeed spectacularly in some parts of India while failing miserably in others. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) may help increase the success percentage of such projects.

Data protection, data security, and guidelines all require special care. While many companies are being invited to invest and contribute their bit to the digitization process, some tax barriers and inflexible guidelines still need to be improved.

Conclusion

According to quantitative research studies, the influence of digitization on a nation’s economic growth is amazing. India can now learn from developed countries’ best practices, mature technologies, and markets and follow in their footsteps. It could provide a much-needed boost to digitalization programs as well. Today’s task is to keep the momentum going by establishing proper econometric tools to assess the effects of the widespread use of digital technologies on economies, societies, and government efficiency. India’s digital initiatives have already changed people’s socioeconomic lives and will continue to do so in the future.