Telecom and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has hinted slew of announcements to boost the electronic sector in the Union Budget this year.

Projects such as digitally connected universities, and Wi-Fi and broadband connections in all schools are some of the points he said, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was excited about.

“We are trying to work it out with many IT companies in Bangalore and working on it,” Prasad told reporters here.

The Government is also keen on starting a web portal wherein all the lost children’s pictures can be uploaded, so that their parents can identify and find the children sooner.

“The Prime Minister is very keen on digital connectivity and in case of IT and electronics, there are immense potential. The import bill of electronics could be more than the fuel import by 2020 (more than $400 billion), and, therefore, we are keen on manufacturing. Why can’t we manufacture mobile phones here,” he said.

E-clusters

Prasad said since the Government is promoting electronic clusters to be set up, many of the Chief Ministers are now upbeat about it and are requesting for setting up manufacturing clusters in their States.

When asked about snooping of the Indian websites by countries like the US, Prasad said, “Government has taken it seriously with such countries and our concerns have been conveyed clearly.”

On Section 66A of the IT Act, he said that his Government is all for the freedom and creativity of the social media and India’s social media is just evolving.

However, ‘abuses should not be promoted’ in the social media, he added.

According to the Article 19(1A) of the Constitution of India, all citizens have the right to freedom of speech and expression, but the Section 66A of the IT Act does not allow that.

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