Digital India: The way forward

Although the Digital India initiatives are focused on reducing the digital divide, a multi-pronged strategy is required for India to emerge as a leading digital economy.

Published: 15th July 2018 04:00 AM  |   Last Updated: 15th July 2018 08:52 AM

By G Krishna Kumar

Information technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad recently stated that the government had added more services through the UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) app for smartphones. This app offers 242 services from 57 departments in 12 states. This is unprecedented progress for a government initiative that was launched by PM Narendra Modi six months ago as part of the Digital India push. While the initiatives must be lauded, a recent global survey on Internet/App usage by global research firm Pew Research Centre ranks India lowest amongst the 39 large economies surveyed. Although the Digital India initiatives are focused on reducing the digital divide, a multi-pronged strategy is required for India to emerge as a leading digital economy.

Infrastructure, implementation
The national telecom policy, rechristened as the National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP-2018), is expected to be announced shortly after Cabinet approval.

We have seen three national telecom policies—NTP 1994, NTP 1999 and NTP 2012—in the past and the Broadband Policy in 2004. We have struggled when it comes to implementation of the stated objectives in the policies. Free roaming was part of the NTP 2012 objectives, but it has not been fully implemented (Outgoing calls while roaming are still charged).Another example: NTP 2012 stated that broadband Internet should have a minimum download speed of 2 Mbps, while to-date, an Internet speed of 512kbps is considered broadband in India. In comparison, leading economies have already increased the minimum speed to 7-20 Mbps.

While superlative Internet speeds are still a distant dream, the government, regulator TRAI, and telecom firms have failed miserably in providing basic mobile call quality. The call drop menace continues, with no accountability whatsoever, letting down subscribers. The telecom sector has been in financial turmoil with debts rising, thanks to mindless spectrum auctions pushing the telcos into bankruptcy. The hyper-competitive environment has led to some operators going out of business. 

The NDCP-2018 has set a lofty goal of investment of $100 billion in four years. With over `7 lakh crore in debt, how will the telcos mobilize funds? 

Also, the cumulative taxes paid by Indian telcos are the highest in the world. The telcos pay over 32 per cent of their revenue as taxes (including spectrum usage charges, licence fees, GST etc.) to the government, compared to 3-8 per cent in other countries. The government must attempt to reduce the tax burden on the telcos.

Considering the current challenges in the telecom sector, the government could even consider delaying the NDCP-18. Instead, it could prioritize and draw up specific actions for improving the health of the sector before the new policy is introduced.

The PSU angle and delays
Although mobile phones are easily available, the inherent inefficiency in spectrum management and poor network infrastructure have resulted in poor quality of experience for end users. State-owned firms Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) and MTNL are making losses for several years with no sign of revival. Successive governments have provided free/discounted spectrum to the PSUs with the hope of revival. Despite the preferential treatment, the PSUs have struggled to stay relevant even in rural India, where private players are dominant. Spectrum being a scarce resource, the government should look at improving efficiency in the spectrum held by BSNL/MTNL by allowing private players with the right checks and balances.

For high-speed Internet access, fixed broadband can be an alternative.
BharatNet, a special purpose vehicle envisaged in 2011, was an ambitious plan to connect all the 2,50,000 gram panchayats through a high-speed optical network. Incessant delays meant only 25-30 per cent completion against the target. The Telecom Commission has drawn up revised plans to complete this by March 2019. While we await completion of this network, Reliance is planning to disrupt broadband through an advanced fibre-based solution (1Gbps speed), and aims to be an all-in-one broadband service by encompassing IPTV, landline, video conferencing etc. Reliance Jio’s track record in disrupting mobile communication in the country is well known. BSNL, the current leader in fixed broadband service, will be displaced soon should Reliance taste success in this space.

Spur innovation
Most of the e-governance websites and apps are not intuitive and even e-literate citizens would find it challenging to navigate them. Internet users are exposed to world-class apps and websites and expect a similar experience on government websites. For the rural populace to become an integral part of Digital India, simpler, innovative and intuitive user experiences must be created.

The National Knowledge Network (NKN), a government initiative, can play a key role in bringing students, researchers, academics and the government on a common platform for improving the quality of experience. The government would do well to encourage the NKN to pursue cognitive science programmes that would look at easy ways to communicate and represent information through artificial intelligence and human-computer interaction. Such an initiative will immensely help the semi-literate/illiterate population.

India’s telecom sector has come a long way through the adoption of mobile technologies. However, for India to emerge as a dominant digital economy, the government needs to prioritize achievable targets and ensure the implementation of the initiatives.

G Krishna Kumar
ICT professional and columnist based in Bengaluru
Email: krishnak1@outlook.com

Fleeing stone-pelters in paradise on Earth

Let me first pay my deepest condolences to the family of Thirumani who was killed by stone-pelters in Kashmir on May 7.

Published: 10th May 2018 04:00 AM  |   Last Updated: 10th May 2018 01:13 AM

By G Krishna Kumar

Let me first pay my deepest condolences to the family of Thirumani who was killed by stone-pelters in Kashmir on May 7. While I was watching the news about the youngster’s death, a thought crossed my mind: It could have very well been me or my family member as we were present in Srinagar just a day before this incident. After much deliberation, we decided to visit Kashmir after giving Sikkim, Munnar and Coorg a pass. It was a brave decision, considering the on-and-off encounters and stone-pelting incidents in the Valley.

We were lucky to have returned home after a memorable trip to Kashmir. But we had our share of tense moments with the bandh and stone-pelting incidents. One day, as we were driving down a road in Srinagar, a passerby alerted the driver that people were pelting stones a few hundred meters away. The driver immediately took a diversion. After a while, when we returned to the area, we found many stones on the road; not mere stones but huge broken concrete blocks.

But the sheer beauty of the place helped us overcome the anxiety. Kashmir is indeed paradise on earth with beautiful landscapes and snow-covered mountains. The pristine water flow in Doodhpathri, lush green landscapes in Pahalgam (mini Switzerland), miles of ice at “Zero point” in Sonamarg, snowfall in Gulmarg should never be missed. The best part about the Valley are the people who are known to care for the visitors, an attitude often termed as Kashmiriyat.

How can things go wrong in such a beautiful place with hundreds of people getting killed every year? A place blessed with unmatched natural resources and very friendly people. The cities and towns looked so normal like any other place in India. With my broken Hindi I managed to talk to a few locals. They are up-to-date on encounters. They have learnt to “live with encounters”. But people have very strong political affiliations. Killing of civilians makes them angry.

It was shocking to see “Go back India” slogans written on walls. It was equally shocking to find thousands of people attending the funeral of slain militants. The economy is hugely dependent on tourists and stone-pelting incidents will severely impact the region.

Had the situation been normal, I am sure Kashmir would have overtaken Switzerland or Austria as the most popular tourist destination. But that looks impossible as of now.

G Krishna Kumar

Email: krishnak1@outlook.com

Technology’s always been a job creator

G. KRISHNA KUMAR

AI is here to stay. Sure, some jobs will go, but others will be created. And human intervention will always be required

Recently, economist Paul Krugman warned that India could lose its dominating position in the global services trade space due to the threat of artificial intelligence. He feels this could result in massive unemployment.

Artificial intelligence or AI is the intelligence demonstrated by machines. Essentially, computers continuously ‘learn’, mimicking cognitive functions like humans. AI has already started impacting our lives. Voice-based search used in smartphones is an example of AI. Self-driven cars is another .

According to Gartner’s Technology hype cycle, mainstream adoption of AI is expected to take off over the next 2-5 years.

From an industry perspective, the evolution of technology must be juxtaposed with the rate of change of customer needs. This means IT companies are required to support customers with stable/legacy technologies (such as the airline booking system or 2G or core banking software); at the same time, customers need leading edge technologies. The challenge for companies is to create the right mix.

Will AI be a threat to the current and future IT workforce? Will it wipe out the IT Industry? Certainly not. We still need people to monitor and maintain automated systems.

Co-existence is the mantra

The tech era is about 50 years old. Historical data shows that evolving technology has been a job creator. Man and machines need to co-exist. Many of the jobs that exist today did not exist 20 or 30 years ago; back then the same issues and concerns existed around job security.

It is a fact that AI-based bots and chatbots have already taken away jobs in the IT industry. This will continue and automation will certainly take over manylow engagement jobs.

However, over a period of time, we will end up with a more engaged and motivated workforce that would like to perform exciting and challenging tasks rather than mundane activities. For this to happen, an environment that can foster innovation is needed.

AI is likely to create more jobs than it would destroy. A Gartner’s report predicts that by 2020, automation will create 2.3 million jobs, while only 1.8 million jobs will be lost.

In order to keep pace with disruptions, the IT workforce need to Learn, Unlearn and Relearn. Reskilling/upskilling both out of individual interest and through organisational initiatives will be required. The key is the willingness of an individual to learn and adapt. The IT workforce needs to demonstrate the right attitude, analytical skills, strong domain knowledge and programming skills to stay relevant.

Collaborations and partnerships are needed to demonstrate agility and relevance in the industry. Lately, experts are being hired on need basis for specific tasks; they may end up working for different companies simultaneously. ‘Uberisation’ of the workforce is gaining popularity. Uberisation simply indicates freelance work as opposed to permanent jobs.

A recent WEF report states that US leads the way in uberisation. Already, 36 per cent of its workforce are freelancers and by 2027 the majority will be freelancers. They keep themselves abreast of evolving technology.

Organisations must be willing to accept and promote the concept of remote workers, anywhere on the planet, with negligible ‘control’ over the people. This calls for a shift in mindset.

Better training

Other than the fact that engineering colleges piggybacked on the IT industry in India, industry-academia collaboration for ensuring industry ready talent has been a challenge. We need an IT workforce that can be future-proofed through better training.

The output from engineering colleges has been a major cause of concern for the IT industry. There are over 3,000 engineering colleges in the country, with close to eight lakh students passing out every year. Some 55 per cent of the students aspire for software employment while only 3 per cent of them are ready for such jobs.

Strict action from the Government to reduce admissions into engineering colleges must be put in place. In addition, tighter industry-academia collaboration is extremely important. The Government should consider imposing mandatory six-month training (similar to the concept of interns in the medical field). However, the sheer volume of students passing out every year is a deterrent for IT industry participation in guiding aspiring software engineers and getting them close to industry-ready.

Considering that AI and technology disruption is a given, we need innovative models through which gen-next engineers can gear up to face future challenges.

So, how shall we prove Krugman wrong? We know man and machines will co-exist. We need cohesive actions for upskilling existing talent, embrace uberisation of the workforce and ensure high quality gen-next engineers for India to handle the impact of AI.

The writer is an ICT professional and columnist based in Bengaluru. The views are personal

Published on March 28, 2018