In a constant endeavor to strengthen the voice of the telecom sector, TEMA has strived to bring together the best minds in the Country. The platform aims to provide the stakeholders to present their erudite views and share experiences, that will help shape the future course of telecom in India. As part of this effort, TEMA is pleased to announce that Shri R Chandrashekhar, Former Secretary, Department of Telecommunication and Department of Electronics and IT is appointed as the first Chairman of TEMA Council on Digital Empowerment. He is also former President NASSCOM.
The TEMA board has approved his appointment. He is currently Chairman of the Centre for The Digital Future. Shri Chandrashekhar on this occasion said "India is racing towards a digital future. There are many stakeholders involved - technology users, providers, entrepreneurs, Government, NGOs and researchers. I feel privileged to chair the Digital Empowerment Council of TEMA with so many illustrious members drawn from all these communities. I hope the Council will be an effective channel for industry and civil society to share their perspectives and suggestions on how to ensure that India's digital future is inclusive and empowering for all."
The TEMA Council on Digital Empowerment is a body inspired by the vision of our Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for a Digital India. He recently underlined the Government's resolve to boost countrywide internet penetration via the wired broadband route.
Shri Ravi Sharma, Chairman TEMA welcoming Shri Chandrashekhar said "The digital empowerment needs coordinated efforts for internet, mobile connectivity, Artificial Intelligence, M2M and financial arrangements. TEMA is committed to play a key role in fulfilling the vision of our Prime Minister. We are sure with a highly experienced, motivated and energetic personality like Shri Chandrashekhar taking the lead; TEMA will bring enormous value addition and would aim for helping stakeholders to make India soon a Digitally empowered nation."
Prof NK Goyal, Chairman Emeritus, TEMA said "Digital inclusion is the key to India's economic growth. Shri Chandrashekhar is the best mind to suggest. His experience in the Government and the private sector will provide a 360-degree view of the challenges and the way ahead. I am confident that his academic rigour and expertise in the sector will help in the development of cyber-safe digital payments."
The Council will work with all stakeholders to ensure the internet connectivity is available to every Indian by any available technology. The association is focused on helping stakeholders with available technology, rather than waiting for the latest technology. This will help them adopt the latest technologies when available and not bogged down by tests and trials for the latest technology.
TEMA feels using available technology will help focus on digital payments, which is the immediate need to create a digital ecosystem. There is also an urgent need for a body to address the cyber risks associated with the same. TEMA also seeks higher investment by Government in Digital Infrastructure, considering that the private sector has been struggling for funding and financing of the projects. Digital connectivity has gained prominence post-Covid 19 era as it is medium for on lone education, health, work from home and financial payments.
India has launched Digital India and committed to empowering every citizen digitally. The Digital Inclusion flagship program is Bharat Net 2020, where all 2.5 lakh village panchayats in the country are to be connected with high-speed broadband. There is a target of connecting all villages with optical fibre in the next 1000 days. The National Broadband Mission envisages broadband is to reach to all the villages by 2022.
The Government has already set a goal of providing high-speed fibre-based broadband connectivity to every village in the next three years.
