Google, MeitY announce virtual focus initiatives

Google has invested heavily in India and will continue to do so for the coming years. One way the company is planning to do this is with the goal of getting the next billion users online. This can only be done by outreach programs and proper education in the villages. 

Google has now announced a three pronged approach in fulfilling this dream. The company talks about Digital Payments, Skills Development, and Digital Unlocked for artisans. 

Digital Unlocked:

Google will expand the Digital Unlocked program to artisans, which was originally meant for small and medium businesses in the country. The company plans to extend this to 100,000 artisans in India, and help them showcase their products online for better outreach and visibility. This will be done in accordance with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY), while the National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology (NIELIT) will provide the training. Trainers at the institute will be provided with proper tools to train artisans across the country, leveraging the 10,000 NIELIT centres in India. There will be mobile training labs deployed in rural areas to help artisans understand the benefits of going digital. 

Skills Development:

Originally meant to bring out 2 million developers from India, this skills program has been extended to the NIELIT, allowing more students to take advantage of this program. The NIELIT will apparently train 1 lakh students with the necessary tools to become a Android developers. This program also comes with a specially designed training course curriculum. 

Digital Payments:

With the Indian Government heavily pushing cashless transactions, this one goes well in line with its current ideas. Google and MEITY will officially unveil the ‘Digital Payments Security Alliance’ along with the Data Security Council of India (DSCI). This will bring together companies related to banks, Fintech as well as the Government, and educate customers on the benefits of digital payments and also train them on how to use digital services smartly. This is particularly crucial given the rate at which people are taking up mobile payments in the wake of the Government’s demonetization ruling from November 2016. The Government will also take up Train the Trainer Programs for CSCs, Financial Inclusion Agencies etc. 

Google also has some other initiatives up its sleeve including the ability to educate more Indians about the advantages of going online, as well as increasing the Indian government’s presence online, and the furthering of the Indic web. 

Speaking on the new announcements, Rajan Anandan, VP, SouthEast Asia and India, Google said “We are delighted to support Honourable PM Modi’s vision of creating a ‘New india’ where technology unleashes a wave of new opportunities. We are committed to and look forward to working with MEITY across these broad range of initiatives and help every Indian to leverage the power of the Internet.”

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