Shruti Laddha, Class VI D
I was surprised when my father told me that there was a time when we had to go to the railway station and submit an application form to get railway reservations. This took nearly an hour because of long queues. Nowadays this can be done from the comfort of our homes, at any time that is convenient to us. Moreover, we can also get all kinds of details including the running status of trains within minutes – all this without leaving our home.
My father also told me that it used to take 8 to 10 days to make a payment through banks. Now, net-banking allows us to make transactions within seconds. In earlier times, we wrote letters to communicate. Sometimes it took 3 to 30 days for the letters to reach their destination. Now, with internet and mobile phones, we can instantly communicate with our near and dear ones irrespective of how far away they may be.
All these changes have happened because of digital revolution. Our government has also been taking the initiative to digitize all government services and information.
Digital technology has become an integral part of our modern life. Booking tickets, searching for jobs, online shopping, admission in schools and colleges, banking, getting information about government schemes, everything has become available at the touch of a button.
If the farmers and everyone living in rural areas also get these facilities, they could also access relevant information for instance, the weather and also learn about new and different methods of cultivation. This would increase overall productivity and benefit both the farmers and the nation in general.
Our defense forces rely on digital services while ensuring the security of the nation. It is also used in the field of medicine right from research to treatment and even maintaining records of patients.
In the past, birth certificates and other important documents had to be hand-written. Computers have not only made this job easier but also reduced the possibility of errors. Digital services have also revolutionized examinations. For many exams, the final result can now be generated in no time. The world of games and all other applications on our mobiles, laptops, i-pods, tablets make possible a world that some years ago could only be imagined.
Thus, we see that the benefits of digital technology are manifold
– It makes our work easier and faster
– It saves time and energy.
– It reduces mistakes.
In order to ensure successful digitalization in India, we need to take care of the following points:
– Creation of digital infrastructure, which means high-speed internet and universal access to mobile phones throughout the country so that all government services can be delivered with ease and speed.
– Delivering services digitally, which means making all government services available online.
– Improving digital literacy which means people should be educated on the ways and means to access all the information and services.
