Revolutionize your Understanding of 9 Pillars of Digital India in 10 Minutes
A fast, human-friendly guide to what each pillar means, why it matters, and how it touches your life—from broadband highways and e-governance to eKranti and IT for Jobs.
What is Digital India?
Launched on 2 July 2015, Digital India is a nationwide mission to deliver digital infrastructure, governance & services on demand, and digital empowerment to every citizen. Think of it as India’s operating system for a modern economy—connecting villages with high-speed internet, digitising public services, and building digital skills for an inclusive future.
Core mantra: “IT + IT = IT” — Indian Talent + Indian Technology = India Tomorrow.
e-governance
BharatNet
Aadhaar
DigiLocker
UMANG
UPI
Make in India electronics
The 9 Pillars at a Glance
| Pillar | What It Delivers | Everyday Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 1) Broadband Highways | Nationwide high-speed connectivity via BharatNet, NKN, SWAN/State WANs | Faster internet for homes, schools, health centres |
| 2) Universal Access to Mobile Connectivity | Coverage expansion in uncovered & remote areas | Better calls, data access, emergency services |
| 3) Public Internet Access Programme | CSCs in gram panchayats; post offices as multi-service centres | Nearby kiosks for e-services, bills, forms |
| 4) e-Governance | Process re-engineering, single-window systems, digitised records | Less paperwork, faster approvals, transparency |
| 5) eKranti | Citizen-centric services on web & mobile, in local languages | Healthcare, education, agriculture services online |
| 6) Information for All | Open data, proactive disclosures, MyGov participatory platforms | Data access, public feedback, co-creation |
| 7) Electronics Manufacturing | Boost domestic electronics; incentives & clusters | Jobs, import substitution, export growth |
| 8) IT for Jobs | Digital skilling, BPOs in smaller towns, NE focus | Employability, local opportunities |
| 9) Early Harvest Programmes | Quick-win initiatives (e-greetings, Wi-Fi in universities, biometric attendance) | Immediate efficiency & adoption |
Deep Dive: Each Pillar Explained
1) Broadband Highways
What it is: An umbrella for core connectivity projects—BharatNet to connect gram panchayats with optical fibre, National Knowledge Network (NKN) for research/education, and State Wide Area Networks (SWAN). Together, these form India’s “digital backbone.”
- Rural: Optical fibre to gram panchayats for reliable, last-mile internet.
- Urban: Better QoS through virtual network operators and dense broadband coverage.
- NII (National Information Infrastructure): Common cloud & data infrastructure for secure, scalable public services.
2) Universal Access to Mobile Connectivity
Focuses on extending coverage to remote and hilly regions (including the North-East), so every citizen can access voice, data and emergency services. This unlocks digital payments, tele-health, online learning and more.
3) Public Internet Access Programme
- Common Service Centres (CSCs): One CSC per gram panchayat—your local gateway for DigiLocker, utility payments, certificates, and government forms.
- Post Offices as Multi-Service Centres: India Post outlets upgraded to deliver citizen services, financial inclusion, and logistics support for small businesses.
4) Electronics Manufacturing
Strengthens Make in India for electronics—addressing tax/incentive frameworks, clusters, R&D and standards. “Big-ticket” areas include FABs, design incubators, skill development and MSME support to boost domestic value-addition.
5) Early Harvest Programmes
Quick-win initiatives that accelerate adoption:
- E-greetings & mass messaging platforms
- Biometric attendance for government offices
- Campus Wi-Fi (universities on NKN), e-books, weather apps
6) e-Governance: Reforming Governance through Technology
Re-engineers processes before digitising them—so departments become genuinely faster and more transparent. Highlights include digitised records, single-window portals, and integration with UIDAI, NSDG/SSDG, and payment rails like UPI.
7) eKranti: Electronic Delivery of Services
Shifts key services to mobile/web, in local languages—covering sectors like health, education, agriculture, finance and citizen safety. Cloud-first delivery (MeitY cloud) improves scalability and cost efficiency.
8) Information for All
Open data portals, proactive disclosures, and participatory platforms such as MyGov make governance more transparent and collaborative—useful for researchers, startups, and media.
9) IT for Jobs
Builds a job-ready workforce via digital literacy, skilling programmes and BPOs in smaller towns (with special attention to the North-East). Telecom skilling aligns youth with a fast-digitising economy.
Real Benefits for Citizens & Businesses
For Citizens
- Access services fast via UMANG, DigiLocker, and CSCs
- Lower travel & paperwork; more transparency
- Digital payments (e.g., UPI) for everyday convenience
For Entrepreneurs & SMEs
- Easier registrations & compliance with e-governance
- Better logistics via India Post & digital tools
- New demand from electronics manufacturing & local BPOs
For Students & Job-Seekers
- Digital literacy, coding & telecom skilling
- Remote learning through connected campuses
- Rising tech & support roles in tier-2/3 cities
Key Metrics & Illustrative Milestones
The following figures reflect programme data shared in the mission’s early years and public communications; actual values evolve over time.
| Indicator | Illustrative Figure | What It Signals |
|---|---|---|
| Telephone connections | ~1.05 billion | High tele-density enabling services & alerts |
| Internet users (penetration) | ~400 million (earlier phase) | Expanding base for e-governance & commerce |
| Broadband subscribers | ~120.88 million (earlier phase) | Rising demand for high-speed access |
| BharatNet OFC reach | ~48,199 gram panchayats (early milestone) | Backbone for CSCs, schools & PHCs |
| Electronics FDI (illustrative) | USD 4.09B vs ~USD 1.6B (2014 baseline) | Momentum for domestic manufacturing |
How to Leverage Digital India (Action Steps)
- Open a DigiLocker account: Store certificates, IDs and documents securely for instant sharing.
- Use UMANG: Access hundreds of central/state services from one app.
- Visit your nearest CSC: Get e-services help for you or your business.
- Adopt UPI & e-payments: Reduce cash-handling, speed up transactions.
- Skill up: Explore free digital literacy and coding resources offered locally.
FAQs on Digital India
How is Digital India helpful?
It brings government services online, reduces travel and queues, increases transparency, and empowers citizens with connectivity and digital identity.
How does Digital India support the economy?
By digitising services and payments, it lowers friction for businesses, boosts entrepreneurship, and catalyses investment and jobs—especially in electronics, IT services and logistics.
What are the three core components?
Digital infrastructure for every citizen, governance & services on demand, and digital empowerment through literacy and access.
Who is known as the “Father of Digital India”?
Sam Pitroda—telecom engineer and policy advisor credited with pioneering India’s telecom and information infrastructure reforms.
Popular Services Mapped to Pillars
| Service / Platform | Linked Pillar(s) | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| DigiLocker | e-Governance, eKranti | Secure digital documents & instant verification |
| UMANG | eKranti, Information for All | Single window for central/state e-services |
| UPI | e-Governance (service delivery & payments) | Instant, low-cost digital payments |
| CSCs | Public Internet Access Programme | Local assistance for forms, bills, certificates |
| BharatNet | Broadband Highways | High-speed backhaul to villages & institutions |
| MyGov | Information for All | Citizen participation, feedback & co-creation |
Bottom Line
Digital India is not one project—it’s a blueprint for inclusive growth. With fibre to panchayats, mobile coverage in remote areas, local CSCs, and citizen-first digital services, the mission puts opportunity in everyone’s pocket.
Have thoughts or questions? Drop them in the comments—we’d love to hear how Digital India is impacting your community.