Digital transactions helped reduce corruption: PM Modi at Nasscom event

Modi also said that the government was mapping villages using drones and reducing human involvement in the tax filing process. He urged entrepreneurs to move from Make In India to Make for India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday lauded the work done in the digital sector by the government, which, he said, reduced corruption during the procurement and tendering process for infrastructure and housing projects.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the Nasscom Technology and Leadership Forum. (PTI)

“People used to raise all kinds of questions about the government’s procurement process for various projects,” Modi said. “We too raised concerns; everyone had heard of similar problems. But now, we use the transparent system, the government’s e-market place or GEM, which has enabled us to invite tenders online.”

The Prime Minister was speaking at the National Technology and Futuristic Forum organised by Nasscom.

“Due to some reasons, the large domestic market of India could not be used by the IT industry,” he said. “The digital divide in the country kept increasing because of this. In a sense it was a period of ‘diva tale andhera’ [darkness under a lamp]. Our government has changed this. The government has lifted unnecessary restrictions on the tech industry.”

Modi added that geo-tagging of projects was being done to ensure timely completion and technology was being leveraged to provide fast, precise and futuristic solutions to all sections of society.

“Digital India has connected the ordinary citizen to the government,” he said. “We have also democratised data. Online delivery of services has helped the lower and middle classes find relief from corruption.”

He added that India has moved from being a heavily cash dependent economy to one that uses digital transactions. “The more digital transactions happen, the more we reduce the prevalence of black money.”

The PM also stressed transparency as the building block of minimum government and maximum governance. “The government has moved from its registers to the dashboard. The attempt is that whatever the government does should be accessible to the ordinary citizen on their phones.”

Modi also mentioned that the government was mapping villages using drones and reducing human involvement in the tax filing process. He urged entrepreneurs to move from Make In India to Make for India. “Use your CSR (corporate social responsibility) funds to provide education to children who do not have access such facilities.”

He added that innovation was needed, especially in the space of agriculture and health. “India needs mentors,” he said. “To become a global leader, India’s IT sector needs to focus on a culture of excellence and institution building.”