September,2013

MACAURO
NEWSLETTER TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER
1st TO 31st AUGUST 2015

A STUDY ON THE INITIAVTES OF

DIGITAL INDIA TO BOOST
HIMAVANTH (B.com) & AHANA PINTO
(Assistant Professor)
ABSTRACT:
The Government of India has
launched a new project called Digital India,
empowering the people of India electronically,
making all the government services available online.
This campaign has opened up many opportunities to
boost the agricultural business of the country.
One of the most crucial problems faced by farmers
in India is regarding marketing. The laws in India
are outdated and most often a farmer has no option
but to sell his produce in regulated markets, where
the middlemen are the ones making the maximum
gains. The farmers have to be satisfied with the bare
minimum. This paper mentions how Digital Indias
initiatives aim to bring the farmers into an umbrella
of digitalization so that they can be provided an
online platform to market their produce by using a
mobile phone, therefore eliminating the need
middlemen. The scheme also supports the use of
newest technology and equipment in a traditional
method, mobile phones can be effectively utilized
for purposes including generating, processing,
transmitting, disseminating, sorting, archiving and
retrieving critical information and data relating to
agriculture. This will increase the productivity and
efficiency of the farmers. Agriculture is the backbone of Indias economy, and enhancing the farmers
will automatically improve the countrys agricultural
sector.

Volume I

INTRODUCTION:
The Government of India has approved the Digital
India campaign which aims to offer a Digital Utopia to
the nation by digitally empowering the society by
focusing on digital literacy, digital resources, and
collaborative digital platforms. This also places emphasis
on universal digital literacy and availability of digital
resources/services in Indian languages, hoping to reduce
the digital divide among the Indians. Meaning, every
resident of the nation would have access to smart-phones
and high-speed internet.
Agriculture plays a vital role in Indias economy. Over
58 per cent of the rural households depend on agriculture
as their principal means of livelihood. Agriculture, along
with fisheries and forestry, is one of the largest
contributors to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In
2014, The National Crime Records Bureau of India
reported 5,650 farmer suicides. The highest number of
farmer suicides was recorded in 2004 when 18,241
farmers committed suicide. The farmers suicide rate in
India has ranged between 1.4 and 1.8 per 100,000 total
populations, over a 10-year period through 2005.
OBJECTIVES:
To identify the need for digital India to transform
agriculture.
To the different initiatives provided by digital India to
the agricultural sector

-2-

COVER ARTICLE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
In the present study, for drawing the conclusions, secondary data is used. Secondary data has been collected from
central government official websites, e-books, newspaper websites and research articles.
LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY:
The information used for this research is based on published data. Hence no first-hand information has been
collected
THE NEED FOR DIGITAL INDIA IN THE AGRICULURAL SECTOR:
Indian farmers need reliable agri- information and alternate marketing channels .94% of farmers in India depend
upon fellow farmers as the preferred source of information, followed by 10% on agri retailers, 4% of TV/Radio
and only 3% on agri-extension officers. Information provided by extension services are perceived to be either
biased (e.g. agri marketing companies) or less actionable due to lack of consistency, accuracy and personalization.
Farmers suffer due to small tradable quantities and socio-economic conditions, which force them to deal with
multiple layers of middlemen.
Thus with the help of digitalization, there will be an easy flow on information to the farmers using mobiles and
internet and also providing an online platform to market their produce thus eliminating the need of intermediaries.
HOW WILL DIGITAL INDIA EMPOWER THE FARMERS AND UPGRADE THE AGRICULTURAL
DEPARTMENT:
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has the potential to revolutionize Indian agriculture in terms
of raising crop productivity this can be done with the help of cost effective mobile phones that are learner friendly
apps to help farmers in generating sorting and storing critical information about their crop.
Geographical information and analytics systems can be developed and made available through eGovernance,
Public-Private Partnerships and other market forces. Say for example GIS maps can be used to plan for better land
use, soil analytics, cropping pattern.
"We want to integrate technology in the agriculture sector. There should be a mix of progressive farming and ageold wisdom," the Prime Minister said
The National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) is an initiative of the Government of India to make all government
services
available
to
the
citizens
of India via electronic
media.
1. NeGP-A aims to provide an integrated and seamless interface to the farmers for making informed decisions.
Information is provided to farmers through multiple channels including Common Service Centres Internet Kiosks
and SMSs. The first phase of the project is under implementation in seven states out of 28 in the country.

-3The following information can be provided to famers on apps:

Details of location specific crop-production technology.

Authorized sources of timely availability of standard quality inputs [seeds, fertilizers, pesticides etc.] farm
equipment, sprinklers, drippers, among others, along with costs.
Post harvest management technology including transport, storage, processing, preservation, packaging and
marketing.
Commodity prices, weather and measures to minimize impact of climate change.
Availing credit, insurance and subsidies.

2. Soil health card software has been standardized and web-based software developed to provide integrated
nutrient management recommendations using soil test crop response method for eight states.
3. The mKisan initiative is a mobile phone-based platform serving subscribers in six states across India. The
service delivers a wealth of agricultural information to help agricultural workers improve farming techniques and
maximise yields. Provides information on crops that are better suited to specific areas, seed variants that can
deliver higher yields, and pesticides that work more effectively
4 .National Agriculture Market (NAM) is an online trading portal for farm produce launched by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi on 14 April 2016. The creation of the National Agricultural Market in India is a welcome
move against the backdrop of the agricultural produce marketing committee. Through this initiative, farmers will
be benefitted as they will have more options for their products then they had before, thus they can get right price
for their produce on their Smartphone in an instant. Both the farmers and end users will be benefitted from this
scheme as it will remove mediators and thus increasing the profit margin for farmers and reducing the product
cost for end consumers. The online platform will be free of cost for farmers.
CHALLENGES OF DIGITAL INIDA TO IMPROVE AGRICULTURE:
Digital India is not an easy plan to put into place. It involves a lot time effort and money. Some of the few
challenges that will be faced is
The high costs involved in carrying out the Digital India dream.
Reaching out to the rural arear where the facilities and infrastructure is poor
The illiteracy or the farmers and mental block towards using technology
Involvement of people in the implementation of the plan to see it through
CONCLUSION:
With the introduction of Digital India India will empower itself in order to improve all its sectors including
agriculture which sustains all the others through its produce and boost the nations economy. Through Digital
India opportunities will be provided for use of technology in financial services, health and education and therefore
improving the social and economic conditions of the rural people. We hope for a successful implementation for
this project for the brighter and prosperous India.

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