'Rural digital entrepreneurs providing livelihood to 12 lakh people'

Bhubaneswar: Union electronics and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday said that rural digital entrepreneurs are providing livelihood opportunities to nearly 12 lakh rural people.

"Three lakh common service centres have created rural digital entrepreneurs, who are not only providing digital services to poor people but also creating livelihood opportunity for nearly 12 lakh rural people," he said.

He further emphasised on the need to "strike a balance among data availability, data utility, data innovation, data enterprise and data privacy." Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Digital India innitiative, Prasad added that Digital governance is 'good' and 'honest' governance.

"Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) has not only ensured transparent and honest delivery of entitlements to poor people, but has also led to saving of Rs. 90,000 Crore," he said, at the inaugaration of STPI Electronics and IT Enclave and Data Centre of Directorate of Hydrocarbons here, along with Union Minister for Oil and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan.

Speaking on the same, Pradhan said that the new infrastructure will promote entrepreneurship and innovation and will help the IT sector in Odisha reach new heights.

"I am happy and confident that new Infrastructure will promote entrepreneurship and innovation and will help the IT sector in Odisha reach new heights creating more and more employment avenues and contribute to the upliftment of the State," he said.

The Union Minister further said that the secondary data centre of National Data Repository will provide an e-platform for investors to access, visualise and purchase exploration and production (E&P) data.

"It will facilitate students, academia and companies to visualise and carry out research work on the huge volume of hydrocarbon E&P data of the country," he said.