Digital Governance
Notes
Digital governance goes beyond e-governance: it uses digital public infrastructure (DPI), data and emerging technologies (AI, blockchain) to redesign service delivery, policy-making and citizen engagement.
Digital India (launched 1 July 2015)
- Vision areas: digital infrastructure as a utility, governance and services on demand, digital empowerment of citizens.
- Nine pillars: broadband highways, universal access to mobile connectivity, Public Internet Access Programme, e-Governance, e-Kranti, Information for All, electronics manufacturing, IT for jobs, early harvest programmes.
India's Digital Public Infrastructure ("India Stack")
- Aadhaar (identity), UPI (payments by NPCI), DigiLocker, e-Sign, Account Aggregator, CoWIN, ONDC, BharatNet (rural broadband), Bhashini (language translation), DBT and the JAM trinity (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile).
Legal framework
- IT Act, 2000; IT Rules, 2021; Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023; CERT-In for cybersecurity.
- Puttaswamy (2017): privacy as a fundamental right; Anuradha Bhasin (2020): internet access and limits on shutdowns.
E-governance vs digital governance: e-governance digitises existing processes and services; digital governance reimagines them with shared platforms, data and AI.
Concerns: privacy and surveillance, data security, exclusion from service due to authentication failures, the digital divide (gender, rural), cybercrime, internet shutdowns, algorithmic bias and AI regulation.
Key Points
- Digital India (2015); India Stack: Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker, ONDC.
- DPDP Act, 2023 governs personal data.
- Puttaswamy (2017) and Anuradha Bhasin (2020) shape rights.
- Digital governance reimagines services with platforms and data.
- Concerns: privacy, exclusion, cybersecurity.
MCQs
Q1. The Digital India programme was launched in: (a) 2006 (b) 2012 (c) 2015 (d) 2018 Ans: (c).
Q2. Which Act, passed in 2023, deals with personal data protection? (a) IT Act, 2000 (b) DPDP Act, 2023 (c) RTI Act, 2005 (d) Aadhaar Act, 2016 Ans: (b).
Q3. UPI is operated by: (a) RBI (b) NPCI (c) SEBI (d) NITI Aayog Ans: (b). National Payments Corporation of India.