Election 2.0: BJP's IT Promises for India

Election 2.0: BJP's IT Promises for India

Techtree News Staff, Mar 16, 2009 1203 hrs IST

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has unveiled its IT & Telecom Vision Document, which lays down how the party plans to use Information Technology (IT) as an important tool for change if voted to power.

This is a first of its kind sectoral poll manifesto.

The party's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani, while unveiling the party document ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, said if the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is voted to power then it would use IT as an important tool to bring about drastic change in major fields, including education and health.

"If the country gives us a chance in 2009, we will ensure that IT would be used as an important tool to change our educational, economic, health and social sectors," Advani told reporters. He also launched the re-designed BJP website along with party president Rajnath Singh at the party headquarters.

Citing security concerns, Advani said if voted to power, the NDA will enact a law to make multi-purpose national identity cards mandatory for citizens of the country.

Advani pointed to the increasing infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals into the country, particularly in the northeast.

There are an estimated 2 crore Bangladeshi immigrants staying illegally in the country, he said and stressed on the necessity of having national identity cards for citizens.

National identity card is the key promise of the IT Vision Document, Advani said.

He noted that the Supreme Court had admonished the government for not taking enough steps for tackling the issue of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.

Speaking at the function Saturday, senior BJP leader Arun Shourie called for the re-orientation of the IT industries by giving more focus to the domestic market.

BJP's IT Vision Document for Transforming India, Empowering Bharat

BJP's pledge: IT for All

Har Hindustani ka bank khaata;
Har BPL parivar ko smart phone
Har gaon mein broadband suvidha;
Har school mein Internet shiksha;
Sabko rozgaar; Shaasan Janata ke dwaar.

The highlights of the 30-page IT Vision document are:

o Multipurpose National Identity Card (MNIC) with unique Citizen Identification Number (CIN) for every Indian citizen in 3 years; to replace all other identification systems.

- 1.2 crore (12 million) new IT-enabled jobs in rural areas.

- 1 crore (10 million) students to get laptop computers at Rs 10,000. Interest-free loan for anyone unable to afford it.

- National Digital Highway Development Project to create India's Internet backbone, and Pradhan Mantri Digital Gram Sadak Yojana for last-mile access even in the remotest of villages.

- Broadband Internet (2 Mbps) in every town and village, at cable TV prices (less than Rs 200/month).

- All schools and colleges to have Internet-enabled education.

- 100% financial inclusion through bank accounts, with e-Banking facilities, for all Indian citizens. Direct transfer of welfare funds, preferably to the woman of the house.

- Every BPL family to be given a free smart mobile phone, which can be used by even illiterate users for accessing their bank accounts.

- Number of mobile subscribers to be increased from 40 crore at present to 100 crore in five years. Internet users to equal mobile subscribers. India to equal China in every IT parameter in five years.

- Video conferencing to be made affordable and universally accessible.

- Primary Health Centre in every village to be linked to the National Telemedicine Service Network. Basic health insurance scheme for every citizen, using the IT platform. Cashless hospitalisation.

- India's ranking in the United Nations' Human Development Index, which is currently 128, to be improved to 50 in five years, with the long-term objective of bringing India within Top Twenty by 2020.

- Massive expansion in the use of IT in agriculture, rural development, SMEs, retail trade, and informal and unorganised sectors of the economy.

- National e-Governance Plan to cover every Government office from the Centre to the Panchayats. The 'E Gram Vishwa Gram' scheme, launched by Shri Narendra Modi in Gujarat, to be implemented nationwide.

- Government spending to be made corruption-free. A former Prime Minister had once said, "If I put Rs. 100 in the pipeline in Delhi, only Rs. 15 reach the end beneficiary." In contrast to Congress governments' Leaky Pipeline, the BJP's IT Pipeline will ensure 100% benefit to people. Those who misappropriate public funds will be punished.

- All post offices to be converted into IT-enabled Multi-Service Outlets. All telephone booths to be upgraded to Internet kiosks.

- Citizens will have a simple 1-800 BSNL Toll Free Number, which will be accessible 24x7x 365 days of the year, to contact their Member of Parliament.

- Unlimited VoIP access to all

- e-Bhasha: National Mission for Promotion of IT in Indian Languages.

- Special focus to bring women, SC/STs, OBCs and other weaker sections of society within the ambit of IT-enabled development.

- Use of IT for the protection of India's priceless cultural and artistic heritage.

- Government to standardise on 'open standard' and 'open source' software.

- Domestic IT hardware industry to be aggressively promoted to minimise dependence on imports.

- Domestic hosting industry to be promoted to minimise international bandwith charges.

- An independent body, Digital Security Agency (DSA), to be set up for cyber warfare, cyber counter-terrorism, and cyber security of national digital assets.

Source: UTVi

Election 2.0: BJP's IT Promises for India

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