The President of India recently awarded the Digital India Awards 2020, adding another chapter to the ongoing story of India’s digital revolution. The awards, which have been held five times previously under different names, recognize outstanding examples of digital governance. This year saw 22 government initiatives and products recognized across seven categories.
Understanding the Digital India Awards
The Digital India Awards were established to honor exemplary initiatives and practices in digital governance. These awards have been operational since 2009 and have been held in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018. Until 2014, they were known as the Web Ratna Awards, and from the 2016 season onwards, they were renamed as the Digital India Awards.
Digital governance represents a new and exciting frontier for public service delivery. It refers specifically to the framework outlining accountability, roles, and decision-making authority for an organization’s digital presence. The National Informatics Centre (NIC), operating under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), conducts the Digital India Awards.
About the National Portal of India
As part of India’s drive towards a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy, the National Portal of India acts as a single window for accessing government information and services online. It is the central node of the country’s digital governance framework and allows citizens easy access to public services.
Digital India Awards 2020: Winners and Innovations
This 2020 edition saw 22 digital governance initiatives and products from government entities honored for their innovation and impact on improving citizen services. Interestingly, this year a new award was introduced: the ‘Innovation in Pandemic Award.’
The winners represented a diverse array of sectors – health, labour, finance, social justice, and environment – all using digital solutions to push towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Notable Winners of 2020
The e-Committee of the Supreme Court of India was recognized for the E-Courts project. This project, established as a Mission Mode Project of the Government of India, facilitated citizens’ access to case status, court orders, and more via the e-courts services.
The Arogya Setu mobile app, developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, was awarded for connecting essential health services with the Indian population. The app played a crucial role in informing its users about risks, best practices, and advisories pertaining to COVID-19 containment.
The ‘eOffice’ project, a Mission Mode Project under the National E-Governance Plan, provides a digital workplace solution that aims to simplify and streamline government office work.
The eSanjeevani digital platform, an initiative by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, was recognized for enabling remote consultations between doctors and patients.
Bihar Sahayata Mobile App was awarded for its innovative use of technology in transferring money directly to the bank accounts of stranded migrant workers.
Madhya Pradesh Labour Department’s Pravasi Shramik and Rojgar Setu Portals were highlighted for helping identify, register, and provide employment assistance to migrants and other workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among states, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal won the Award under ‘Excellence in Digital Governance – State / UT’ category.
Source Reference
This information is based on the data released by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) of the Government of India.
