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Technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), Internet-of-Things (IoT), 3D printing, drones, DNA data storage, quantum computing and many more are re-writing the world economic order. The Budget 2020-21 noted that India has already embraced new paradigms such as the sharing economy with aggregator platforms displacing conventional businesses. The government has also harnessed these new technologies to enable direct benefit transfers and financial inclusion on a scale never imagined before. The Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman proposed further measures by the government to take advantage of these new technologies. She asserted that Analytics, Fintech and IoT are changing the way we deal with our lives. Therefore, she proposed to soon bring out a policy to enable private sector in building Data Centre Parks throughout the country, thus enabling firms to incorporate data in every step of their value chains. She also proposed to link one-lakh gram panchayats this year with Fibre to the Home (FTTH) connections through BharatNet. This will fulfill the vision of providing digital connectivity to all ‘public institutions’ like Anganwadis, health and wellness centres, government schools, at gram panchayat level. It proposed to provide ₹6,000 crore to BharatNet programme in 2020-21.
Proposal for quantum technology
The FM also noted that quantum technology is opening up new frontiers in computing, communications, cyber security with wide-spread applications. She pointed out that a lot of commercial applications are expected to emerge from theoretical constructs developing in this area. Thus, the Minister proposed to provide an outlay of ₹8,000 crore over a period of five years for the National Mission on Quantum Technologies and Applications. She further said that India needs to boost domestic manufacturing and attract large investments in the electronics value chain. She proposed a scheme to encourage manufacture of mobile phones, electronic equipment and semiconductor packaging.
A scheme to encourage manufacture of mobile phones, electronic equipment and semi-conductor packaging is also proposed, she added.
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