The Digital Highway Carrot: A Study of E-Business in India with Solace and Strength

Abstract

India's digital vision was first laid in the 1980s with pioneering steps for creating the National Informatics Centre (NIC). The NIC was the beginning of an effort to computerise government and digital base India for the twenty-first century. Another organisation such as C-DOT digitised India's networks and the number of phones has increased from 5 million to 1 billion. Further, the creation of the National Knowledge Network (NKN) is a high-bandwidth network to connect all educational institutions in the country to enable high end research and collaboration. Another internet access for the rural population is the National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) aimed to provide high-speed broadband connectivity to 250, 000 panchayats in the country. Another service is UID (unique identification) platform with facial, finger prints and iris scan. UID platform once connected to mobile phones, bank accounts and others will help deliver benefits of digital India to all residents. Digital India lies in the development of the digital ecosystem in terms of apps and app-based government services as well as free and equal access to all these for consumers across the country. The government has been focusing different ongoing projects such as NOFN, NKN, National e-Governance Plan and many more. According to FICCI-KPMG Indian Media and Entertainment Industry Report 2015, digital advertising industry grew from Rs 3, 010 crore in 2013 to Rs 4, 350 crore in 2014 growth around 45%. State Bank of India (SBI) has its own digital baby in the name of SBI rewards. Axis bank behind with its Pingpay, ICICI bank has launched ‘all new mobile banking app’; HDFC bank with its launch of Payzapp is almost replicating a Flipkart or Paytm.