The state of Gujarat has partnered with Google to realize India’s Digital India dream. The partnership will aim to increase digital literacy and promote digital technologies across the state, with a particular focus on rural areas.
The announcement was made by the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani, who said that the partnership with Google would help the state to “leapfrog into the future” and become a leader in digital innovation. The initiative will be implemented through the Gujarat Informatics Limited (GIL), which is the nodal agency for the state’s e-governance initiatives.
Under the partnership, Google will provide training and support to GIL in areas such as cloud computing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. The aim is to equip GIL with the skills and knowledge to develop innovative digital solutions that can be scaled up and replicated across the state.
The partnership will also focus on increasing digital literacy among the people of Gujarat, particularly in rural areas. This will be achieved through initiatives such as the Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (DISHA), which aims to provide basic digital literacy skills to one crore (10 million) people in rural areas by 2022.
The partnership with Google is part of the state’s broader efforts to promote digital technologies and create a digital infrastructure that can support economic growth and development. This includes the development of a high-speed fiber optic network that will connect all 18,000 villages in the state, as well as the rollout of e-governance initiatives such as e-mamta (which aims to improve maternal and child health outcomes) and e-nagar (which aims to improve urban governance).
The partnership has been welcomed by industry experts and digital rights activists, who say that it is a positive step towards realizing India’s Digital India vision. They also believe that the partnership will help to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas, and enable more people to access digital technologies and services.
However, some have raised concerns about the potential risks associated with the partnership with Google, particularly in relation to data privacy and security. They argue that the partnership could give Google access to sensitive data about people in Gujarat, which could be used for commercial purposes or to further the company’s own interests.
Despite these concerns, the partnership between Gujarat and Google is seen as a significant step towards realizing India’s Digital India dream. It demonstrates the potential of public-private partnerships to drive digital innovation and promote economic growth, while also highlighting the need for transparency and accountability in the use of digital technologies.
