G20: a 'cycle ride' through India's digital achievements

KUMARAKAM: Official representatives of G20 countries are enjoying a 'cycle ride' through the digital systems prepared by India for Covid prevention. India's digital achievements are being described at the 'CoWIN' showcase at the second meeting of the G20 Sherpas (one who leads the high-level delegation as the head of the state's representative) that began in Kumarakom. If you pedal the bicycle in the stall, you can take a ride through the achievements of India in the digital field via the screen right in front of you. Representatives of countries including Germany and the Netherlands took a turn on this.

The delegates applauded the country's digital achievements including Digi Locker and UPI. The implementation of the UPI system even in roadside stalls surprised the representatives. The delegates also inquired about how even tea can be brought through online payment.

DigiLocker the star

The delegates were also convinced about the DigiLocker, a digital version of old files. The achievements the country reached through the DIKSHA app (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing), a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education and NCERT were also elaborated. Various initiatives built on DPIs (Digital Public Infrastructure) on the public-private partnership model from partner companies like Microsoft, Google, and Paytm were also showcased. The gathering of Sherpas is at the KTDC Resort today and tomorrow. On the 2nd there will be Onam celebrations and cultural events. 120 delegates from G20 member countries, 9 special invitee countries, and international organizations including the UN will participate in the conference till April 2. A Developmental Working Group meeting will also be held from the 6th to the 9th.

G20: serious discussions to begin today

KOTTAYAM: The plenary sessions that lay the groundwork for serious discussions at the G20 Sherpa meeting will begin today. Union Minister V Muraleedharan will speak at the inaugural plenary session at Kumarakam Waterscape Resort at 9.30 am.

Digital-based discussions were held on the first day. In a follow-up panel session on 'How DPI Energizes the Startup Ecosystem', Infosys Co-Founder and Board Chairman Nandan Nilekani and EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton spoke online. London Chatham House Fellow Siddharth Tiwari presided over the discussion on how development in the digital arena can bring prosperity to families. The discussion assessed the impact of digital development on health, education, food security, and climate adaptation. The second session on 'DPI in a Global Context' was moderated by Pramod Verma, former Chief Architect, Aadhaar India Stack, and CTO, X-Step Foundation.