Miscellaneous Schemes under Ministry of Electronics and IT

Jeevan Pramaan

Objective: To facilitate the online submission of Life Certificates by pensioners, thereby avoiding the need to physically submit them every November.
Beneficiaries: Pensioners of Central/State Governments or other government organizations.
Key Feature:
- Based on Aadhaar Biometric Authentication.
- Generates a Digital Life Certificate (DLC) that is automatically updated with the Pension Department.
- Available through Jeevan Pramaan Centres (operated by CSCs, banks, govt. offices) or via PC/Mobile/Tablet apps.

➡️ In short, it simplifies the pension process and ensures hassle-free continuity for senior citizens.

Software Technology Parks of India (STPI)

Background: Set up in 1991 as an autonomous society under MeitY.
Objective: Promotion of software exports from India.
Key Features:
- Works as a single-window service provider for software exporters.
- Implements two major schemes:
  - Software Technology Park (STP)
  - Electronics Hardware Technology Park (EHTP)
- Provides services like incubation facilities, training, consultancy, co-location, statutory services, data communication, and IT audit.

➡️ Essentially, STPI has been a backbone for India’s IT/ITES export growth.

Scheme for Promotion of Manufacturing of Electronic Components and Semiconductors (SPECS)

Objective: To offset the cost disadvantage faced by domestic manufacturers of electronic components and semiconductors.
Eligibility: Entities registered in India, including both new units and expansion/modernization of existing units.
Key Feature: Provides 25% financial incentive on capital expenditure for manufacturing identified electronic goods (components, semiconductors, display units, ATMP units).

➡️ Strengthens India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem by encouraging component-level self-reliance.

Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyaan (PMGDISHA)

Objective: To make one person per household digitally literate.
Eligibility: Any household can nominate one person, aged 14–60 years.
Course Duration: 20 hours (10–30 days).
Medium of Instruction: Official Indian languages.
Implementation: Training via nearest CSCs or Training Centres.
Evaluation: Independent exam conducted by agencies like NIELIT, NIOS, IGNOU.

➡️ Aimed at bridging the digital literacy gap, especially in rural India.

Stree Swabhiman

Objective: To provide affordable and accessible sanitary products for adolescent girls and women, especially in rural areas.
Approach: Establishing a sustainable model of sanitary product manufacturing and distribution closer to rural communities.

➡️ Links women’s health, dignity, and empowerment with technology-enabled models.

Electronics Development Fund (EDF) Policy

Type: Central Sector Scheme.
Objective: To create an ecosystem of innovation, research, and development (R&D) in electronics.
Key Feature:
- Functions as a “Fund of Funds”, which invests in Daughter Funds.
- These daughter funds provide risk capital to companies working in electronics, nano-electronics, and IT innovations.

➡️ Focuses on fostering R&D and innovation, helping start-ups and technology companies grow.

Modified Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMC 2.0) Scheme

Objective: To provide world-class infrastructure for global electronics manufacturers.
Key Features:
- Strengthens supply chain linkages between domestic and global markets.
- Reduces logistics cost and improves time-to-market.
- Provides financial assistance for setting up:
  - Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMCs)
  - Common Facility Centres (CFCs)

➡️ It complements PLI schemes by ensuring manufacturers have the right ecosystem and infrastructure to set up operations in India.

Gyan Circle Ventures

What is it?
It is the Technology Business Incubator of IIIT Sri City, set up under the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (CIEDI).
Support: Funded under TIDE 2.0 as a Group 2 Centre.
Purpose: To promote deep-tech entrepreneurship in emerging fields like IoT, AI, Blockchain by providing financial and technical support to incubators.

➡️ Think of it as a nursery where new technology-based start-ups are nurtured.

DigiLocker

Aim: “Digital Empowerment” of citizens by providing a digital document wallet.
What it offers:
- A secure cloud-based platform for storage, sharing, and verification of documents.
- Linked with Aadhaar (UIDAI).
- Citizens get a dedicated cloud storage space.
Legal status: Documents in DigiLocker are considered at par with physical documents as per Rule 9A of the IT (Preservation and Retention of Information by Intermediaries Providing Digital Locker Facilities) Rules, 2016.

➡️ Example: Your driving license in DigiLocker is as valid as the physical card.

UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-Age Governance)

Objective: To create a single point of access to multiple government services.
Features:
- Integrates 162 services of 33 departments and 4 States.
- Payments of utility bills, taxes, etc.
- Supports 13 Indian languages.
- Provides access even on feature phones through USSD codes.

➡️ UMANG reduces the need for multiple apps; it is a one-stop solution for government services.

Digishala

A free Doordarshan DTH channel.
Purpose: To educate citizens about different digital payment modes.

➡️ Especially useful in rural areas post-demonetization to promote digital literacy.

Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative

Aim: To train and educate Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and the broader IT community in government departments.
Objective: To help them defend digital infrastructure and become future-ready against cyber-attacks.
Partners: Public-private partnership with major IT firms like Microsoft, Intel, WIPRO and consultancy firms like Deloitte, EY.

➡️ It is India’s first PPP-based cybersecurity training programme.

e-Sampark

Objective: To connect the Government directly with citizens.
Tools used: Mailers, outbound dialing, and SMS campaigns.
Function: Used for sharing information and public service messages.

➡️ This reflects the essence of Digital India → Government communicating proactively with citizens.

S3WAAS (Secure, Scalable & Sugamya Website as a Service)

What is it? An online service by NIC that enables government departments to create secure, scalable, and accessible websites.
Features:
- Departments can choose from templates.
- No technical expertise required.
- Hosted and maintained by NIC.

➡️ It standardizes and secures government websites across the country.

GI Cloud – MeghRaj

Provided by: National Informatics Centre (NIC).
Purpose: To provide cloud computing services to government departments.
Services include:
- IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) – basic virtual resources (CPU, storage).
- PaaS (Platform as a Service) – pre-installed web/database servers.
- SaaS (Software as a Service) – ready-to-use applications.
- STaaS (Storage as a Service) – secure cloud storage.
Hosting Environments: Production, Staging, Development.

➡️ MeghRaj is India’s National Cloud, ensuring efficient and cost-effective IT services for governance.

NIC-CERT (National Informatics Centre – Computer Emergency Response Team)

Role: Acts as the nodal arm of NIC for managing cyber security incidents.
Functions:
- Single point of contact for cyber incidents.
- Issues periodic threat intelligence, security alerts, tips, advisories.

➡️ It safeguards government IT infrastructure against cyber-attacks.

Project Cyber Shikshaa

Launched by: Microsoft and Data Security Council of India (DSCI).
Aim: To skill women engineering graduates in the field of Cybersecurity.

➡️ Promotes both gender empowerment and cyber readiness.

Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme (Phase-II)

Objective: To increase the number of PhDs in Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) and IT/ITES.
Tenure: 9 years (from 2021).
Support provided:
- 1000 Full-time PhDs
- 150 Part-time PhDs
- 50 Young Faculty Research Fellowships
- 225 Post-Doctoral Fellowships
- One-time support to 250 PhD fellows for 6-month visits to international labs.
Eligible Institutions: All IITs, NITs, IISc, IISERs, Central and Deemed Universities, Private Universities.

➡️ The scheme strengthens India’s research base in electronics and IT.

IndiaAI Mission

The IndiaAI Mission, launched on March 7, 2024 is India’s flagship national initiative under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), designed to build a robust, inclusive, and sovereign AI ecosystem. Its guiding vision: ‘Making AI in India and Making AI Work for India’.

Vision & Aims

Inclusive Growth: Ensure AI benefits reach all sectors and citizens — not just the elite or urban tech hubs
Affordable AI: Provide subsidised access to computing resources (e.g., GPUs at low cost) for academia, startups, and researchers
Indigenous Development: Promote Indian AI models and datasets tailored to local languages, culture, and contexts
Responsible & Ethical AI: Focus on safe, trustworthy, and meaningful AI applications aligned with India’s values

The Seven Pillars of IndiaAI Mission

Pillar	Description
1. IndiaAI Compute Capacity	Build large-scale AI computing infrastructure with high-end GPUs — providing affordable computing access to researchers, startups, and academia
2. IndiaAI Innovation Centre	Promotes indigenous AI R&D, focusing on foundational models and India-specific use cases through academia-industry-government collaboration
3. IndiaAI Datasets Platform (AIKosh)	National platform for high-quality, non-personal datasets — enabling responsible data sharing for AI training
4. IndiaAI Application Development Initiative	Develops AI solutions for public good in priority sectors: healthcare, agriculture, education, and governance
5. IndiaAI Skilling & Talent Development	Capacity building — reskilling and upskilling students, professionals, and officials for AI-driven jobs
6. IndiaAI Startup Financing	Financial support to AI startups to boost innovation and global competitiveness
7. Safe, Trusted & Responsible AI	Emphasises ethics, transparency, accountability, and bias mitigation — aligned with global responsible AI principles

India Semiconductor Mission (ISM)

Overview: Launched in 2021; Operates under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)
Purpose: Develop a sustainable semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem in India.
Scope: Supports the entire value chain — from chip design to fabrication, assembly, testing, packaging, and display manufacturing.
Administrative Role: Receives and evaluates applications for schemes under the Semicon India Programme and engages with industry stakeholders to attract investment.

Key Components:

Semiconductor Fabs Scheme: Fiscal support for setting up semiconductor wafer fabrication plants in India.
Display Fabs Scheme: Incentives for manufacturing TFT LCD and AMOLED display panels.
Compound Semiconductors / Silicon Photonics / Sensors Fab & ATMP/OSAT Scheme: Support for advanced semiconductor technologies and packaging facilities.
Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme: Incentives and infrastructure support for IC, SoC, chipset, and semiconductor-linked design projects; administered by CDAC; includes support for startups.
Modernisation of Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL), Mohali: Upgrading as a brownfield fab.
Comprehensive Coverage: Includes manufacturing, R&D, packaging, and design support.