Sri Lanka is keen to introduce an Aadhaar-like initiative

Sri Lanka is keen to introduce an Aadhaar-like initiative

Context

Sri Lanka will explore launching an application similar to the Unified Mobile Application for New age Governance (UMANG) in India, and it is in talks with New Delhi at the highest levels, said Minister of Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Harin Fernando.

Colombo also wishes to launch an app like UMANG

• Sri Lanka is also keen on adopting a mass digital initiative like the Aadhaar in India
• Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology will undertake a two-day visit to the island next month for discussions on bilateral cooperation and possible Indian investment in the sector

Investment possibilities

• Indians see a lot of potential in Sri Lanka, especially in the IT sector
• The Sri Lankan government would soon form a new digital secretariat to streamline initiatives pertaining to information and technology.
• In a separate initiative, the government has also been pushing for digitizing the national identity cards of Sri Lankans with biometrics, a move that has made privacy advocates in the country concerned.

Digital Connectivity

Recognising the importance of connectivity in digitisation, the government is focussing on creating at least 30,000 public wi-fi spots, including in 10,000 schools to enable students to use technology