India’s Union Budget focuses heavily on digitisation
India’s Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has presented the 2017-18 Union Budget, which is characterised by a focus on digitisation, infrastructure, and rural India. A number of digital policy-related proposals can be highlighted:
- An abolition of service tax on digital rail bookings in an effort to push digital payments
- Connecting remote areas with fibre optic Internet across the country
- Improving medicine, education, and skills in rural areas through the use of digital technology
- A new digital pension distribution system, as well as ‘smart cards’ containing health information for senior citizens
- The establishment of a dedicated Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) for the financial sector.
- Digitising payments and promoting cashless transactions through a new app.
- Online education platforms to help people develop skills and gain employment