PM calls for re-skilling existing workforce

PM calls for re-skilling existing workforce

Context:

• The World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT 2018) or the ‘Olympics of IT’, coming to India for the first time.

Introduction:

• The inauguration of the event held in Hyderabad, through video-conferencing.
• The three-day event comprises the Nasscom India Leadership Forum.
• Earlier, the Prime Minister unveiled FutureSkills platform, a Nasscom initiative to upskill 2 million technology professionals in India.

Purpose:

• Re-skilling of existing workforce in the backdrop of emergence of new technologies.
• Skilling citizens for the workplace of the future.

PM calls for re-skilling existing workforce:

• The Prime Minister said India is the hotspot of digital innovation across all sectors. The country not only has a growing number of innovative entrepreneurs, but is also a growing market for tech innovation. “India is best placed to leverage the power of technology and leap-frog into the future while ensuring empowerment of every citizen.”
• India will be one of the most tech-friendly population in the world, With over 1 lakh villages linked with optical fibre, 121 crore mobile phones, 120 crore Aadhaar and 50 crore internet users, India is best placed to leverage the power of technology and leap-frog into the future,” he declared.

PM highlighted the following points related to Digital India:

• Technology has transcended power point presentation and has become an inseparable part of people’s lives.
• Digital India has graduated beyond being a government initiative to one that has become a way of life.
• The JAM trinity of combining 320 million bank accounts of poor with Aadhaar and mobile with direct benefits of welfare measures has saved ₹57,000 crore.
• Digital India is a journey bringing about digital inclusion for digital empowerment aided by digital infrastructure for digital delivery of services.
• Technology is becoming enabler of the deeply imbibed Indian philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.
• Public good technology can deliver lasting prosperity to mankind and sustainable future for the planet.