Syllabus
GS 3: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology
Context:
The government’s flagship ‘Digital India’ programme completed ten years on July 1.
More on the News
• In a major move a new task force has been set up to create a roadmap for the India Energy Stack.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Digital India is no longer just a government scheme but has become a people’s movement.
About ‘Digital India’ Programme
• Digital India is a major programme launched on July 1, 2015, by the Union Government to make India a digitally empowered society and knowledge-based economy.
• Digital India brings together various projects under one programme to help India become a knowledge-driven economy and improve governance by coordinating efforts across the entire government.
• It is based on 9 key pillars, each aimed at a different part of building a digitally strong nation:
- Broadband Highways
- Universal Access to Mobile Connectivity
- Public Internet Access Programme
- e-Governance: Reforming Government through Technology
- e-Kranti (Electronic Delivery of Services)
- Information for All
- Electronics Manufacturing
- IT for Jobs
- Early Harvest Programmes
• The Digital India Mission has played an important role in improving digital infrastructure to support governance and empower citizens.
• Various major initiatives under this mission have significantly transformed the e-governance landscape in India.
Major Initiatives Under Digital India
• Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) App: Indian mobile payment app developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), based on the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
• Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN): It provides shared IT infrastructure and services to implement the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India, making tax filing, compliance and administration smooth for both taxpayers and the government.
• Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA): A government scheme aimed at promoting digital literacy in rural India by training citizens from rural households to operate digital devices and access digital services.
• Aarogya Setu app: A mobile app developed in a public-private partnership to bring the people of India together in a resolute fight against COVID-19.
• Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC): It is a government-backed initiative to create a national e-commerce network.
India Stack
• The proposed India Energy Stack (IES) aims to transform the power sector just like Aadhaar did for identity and UPI did for digital payments.
• By digitally connecting all parts of the energy system (producers, grid operators, consumers, exchanges, and regulators), the IES will allow peer-to-peer energy trading, help manage demand during high renewable energy use.
• In India, both the central and state governments manage electricity. This has led to separate digital systems instead of one connected national platform.
Challenges faced by power sector in India
• Lack of Unique Identifiers: There is no unique identifier for consumers, assets, or stakeholders.
• Absence of Real-Time and Harmonised Data: Decision-making is hampered by the lack of access to harmonised, real-time data.
• Scaling Challenges Due to Platform Dependence: Those seeking to offer solutions in this space struggle to scale, as they depend on various proprietary digital platforms.
• No Interoperability Across Digital Systems: There is no interoperability between these digital systems, which prevents cross-regional data sharing and cross-discom transactions.
Mains Question
Discuss the need for a unified digital infrastructure in India’s power sector in the context of the proposed India Energy Stack. How can digital integration address the challenges arising from electricity being a concurrent subject? (15M, 250W)
Prelims MCQ
Which of the following best describes the objective of the proposed India Energy Stack (IES)?
a. To promote solar panel manufacturing in India
b. To create a unified digital platform for the power sector
c. To privatize electricity distribution across all states
d. To centralize power generation under the Union Government
Answer: B) To create a unified digital platform for the power sector
Explanation:
The India Energy Stack aims to digitally integrate India’s fragmented power sector, connecting producers, grid operators, consumers, exchanges, and regulators to enable better coordination, energy trading, and compliance.