BJP’s 25 IT Improvement Promises- Rs 10K Laptops to 10 Million People, Broadband for Rs 200/mo, 12 Million IT jobs and Much more

What Obama did for America, Mr. L K Advani wants to do in India. If you are an Indian netizen, you must have already seen posters of Indian Prime ministerial candidate Mr. Advani  every where. The campaign has been totally cyber and quite different from the conventional Indian vote-banking. Well, BJP also promises 25 ways it will improve India’s cyber infrastructure and educate people of internet. Among them the note worthy ones are- 10 Million students will be given laptops for Rs 10,000, the broadband internet surfing charge will be brought down to Rs 200/mo, 12 million IT jobs for people and etc. Do you think its too good to be true? Let’s take a look at their full agenda.

1. Multipurpose National Identity Card (MNIC) with unique Citizen Identification Number (CIN) for every Indian citizen in 3 years; to replace all other identification systems.
2. 1.2 crore (12 million) new IT-enabled jobs in rural areas.
3. 1 crore (10 million) students to get laptop computers at Rs 10,000. Interest-free loan for anyone unable to afford it.
4. 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.
5. Broadband Internet (2 Mbps) in every town and village, at cable TV prices (less than Rs 200/month).
6. All schools and colleges to have Internet-enabled education.
7. 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.
8. Every BPL family to be given a free smart mobile phone, which can be used by even illiterate users for accessing their bank accounts.
9. 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.
10. Video conferencing to be made affordable and universally accessible.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. Massive expansion in the use of IT in agriculture, rural development, SMEs, retail trade, and informal and unorganised sectors of the economy.
14. 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.
15. 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.
16. All post offices to be converted into IT-enabled Multi-Service Outlets. All telephone booths to be upgraded to Internet kiosks.
17. Citizens will have a simple 1-800 BSNL Toll Free Number, which will be accessible 24×7x 365 days of the year, to contact their Member of Parliament.
18. Unlimited VoIP access to all
19. e-Bhasha: National Mission for Promotion of IT in Indian Languages.
20. Special focus to bring women, SC/STs, OBCs and other weaker sections of society within the ambit of IT-enabled development.
21. Use of IT for the protection of India’s priceless cultural and artistic heritage.
22. Government to standardize on ‘open standard’ and ‘open source’ software.
23. Domestic IT hardware industry to be aggressively promoted to minimize dependence on imports.
24. Domestic hosting industry to be promoted to minimize international bandwidth charges.
25. An independent body, Digital Security Agency (DSA), to be set up for cyber warfare, cyber counter-terrorism, and cyber security of national digital assets.

Too Good to be True?

While the promises are very impressive but knowing Indian politicians and their forgetfulness after the election, we believe its too good to be true. Certainly, the objectivity needs a special mentioning as at least they have pointed out rightly to places where India needs to consolidate and surge ahead in order to prove themselves a really prospering country in the world map. Something concrete will be accepted gleefully and if BJP is able to do so, you have a lot of admirers waiting for you in this side of the world. On a foot note I will like to appreciate the effort actually. Even if 1 Lakh students get those cheap laptops or half the job they have promised or half the speed of the broadband in rural areas, it means a lot to India’s advancement. Will it be done? or will it go down as another failed promise? India will see.