India Votes 2009 - BJP's IT Vision Document

L.K. Advani releases BJP’s IT Vision Document for Transforming India, Empowering Bharat

BJP’s pledge: IT for All

Har Hindustani ka bank khaata;
Har BPL parivar ko smart phone
Har gaon mein broadband suvidha;
Har school mein Internet shiksha;
Sabko rozgaar; Shaasan Janata ke dwaar.

The Bharatiya Janata Party today laid out a grand vision for transforming India and empowering Bharat using the power of information technology (IT). Unveiling the BJP’s IT Vision document, the National Democratic Alliance’s prime ministerial candidate Shri LK Advani said, “A future NDA Government, if elected to office in the coming parliamentary elections, would give high priority to the realisation of this vision, which would help India overcome the current economic crisis; create productive employment opportunities on a large scale; accelerate human development through vastly improved and expanded education and
healthcare services; check corruption; and make India’s national security more robust.”

Shri Rajnath Singh, Party President, and Shri Arun Shourie, BJP MP and former Minister of Communications and Information Technology in the Vajpayee Government , were also present.

The highlights of the 30-page IT Vision document are:

• Multipurpose National Identity Card (MNIC) with unique Citizen Identification Number (CIN) for every Indian citizen in 3 years; to replace all other identification systems.

• 1.2 crore (12 million) new IT-enabled jobs in rural areas.

• 1 crore (10 million) students to get laptop computers at Rs 10,000. Interest-free loan for anyone unable to afford it.

• 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.

• Broadband Internet (2 Mbps) in every town and village, at cable TV prices (less than Rs 200/month).

• All schools and colleges to have Internet-enabled education.

• 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.

• Every BPL family to be given a free smart mobile phone, which can be used by even illiterate users for accessing their bank accounts.

• 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.

• Video conferencing to be made affordable and universally accessible.

• 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.

• 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.

• Massive expansion in the use of IT in agriculture, rural development, SMEs, retail trade, and informal and unorganised sectors of the economy.

• 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.

• 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.

• All post offices to be converted into IT-enabled Multi-Service Outlets. All telephone booths to be upgraded to Internet kiosks.

• Citizens will have a simple 1-800 BSNL Toll Free Number, which will be accessible 24x7x 365 days of the year, to contact their Member of Parliament.

• Unlimited VoIP access to all

• e-Bhasha: National Mission for Promotion of IT in Indian Languages.

• Special focus to bring women, SC/STs, OBCs and other weaker sections of society within the ambit of IT-enabled development.

• Use of IT for the protection of India’s priceless cultural and artistic heritage.

• Government to standardise on ‘open standard’ and ‘open source’ software.

• Domestic IT hardware industry to be aggressively promoted to minimise dependence on imports.

• Domestic hosting industry to be promoted to minimise international bandwith charges.

• An independent body, Digital Security Agency (DSA), to be set up for cyber warfare, cyber counter-terrorism, and cyber security of national digital assets.

Shri Rajnath Singh launches BJP’s redesigned website

The BJP also used the occasion to launch its revamped website, www.bjp.org. It was launched by Party President Shri Rajnath Singh. Way back in 1997, the BJP became the first political party in India to have its own website. The content of the past 12 years has not only been transferred to the redesigned site, but also several new features have been added. The new website will be used creatively to support the BJP’s campaign for the elections to the 15th Lok Sabha.

An important tool on the site is the Google-powered internal search engine. Another important feature is Google’s Feedburner-based ‘Alert’ system whereby anyone who submits his/her email ID on the site would get an automatic email-alert anytime a new press release is uploaded.

Commenting on this development, Shri Shailesh Rao, Managing Director of Google India, said, “We are impressed with the innovative way in which the BJP has shown commitment to the Internet and realized its potential power in better connecting with their constituency.”