The much-talked-about Digital India initiative promises to bring an e-revolution to the country. Launched last year, the government’s ambitious programme aims to take internet connectivity to the six lakh villages across India.

Needless to say, if the plan succeeds, it will benefit many sections of society. For instance, if you are a small-time businessman or a start-up entrepreneur, you can look forward to several new opportunities and ways to improve your work.

Here’s why jumping on the Digital India bandwagon can be quite a good idea for small businessmen:

Funds

A key section of the Digital India programme is the Electronics Development Fund (EDF). If your business promises innovation, research, and product development in electronics, you may get easy access to funds from EDF. After launching it with a corpus of Rs 2,200 crore, the government may pump another Rs 10,000 crore into EDF in future. The entire programme is riding on a budget of Rs 1.13 lakh crore.

Digital reach

If Digital India succeeds, your potential customers will be only a click away. India currently has over 30 crore internet users. Digital India may add another 20 crore to that number by 2017, claim media reports. Do not lose this opportunity to develop your brand online. You can market your products through the social media, emails, and your website. Not only urban areas, customers from all over the country will be yours to woo.

Investments

Digital India has already attracted a huge flow of funds from India and abroad. The Indian corporate sector has pledged to invest Rs 4.5 lakh crore in Digital India. Foreign funds and technology companies are also vying for a piece of India’s digital pie. But how will this benefit you? Again, this can give you access to easy funds.

Tech companies

If you own a technology company, Digital India can particularly open a plethora of opportunities for you. Some of the most rewarding areas will be fintech, broadband infrastructure, identity solutions, and mobile-based delivery. As commerce and banking go online, cyber security will also be a key area of focus. If you can work closely with the government, you will see more demand for your services.

Electronics manufacturing

With Digital India, the government targets net-zero electronics import by 2020. To realise this dream, it may spend around Rs 24,000 crore. If you own an electronics business, this is your chance.

You can enjoy a special incentive package, tax rationalization, and preferential market access. Besides, you can expect to face less competition from imported electronics.

In short, India is at a big turning point right now. Due to many reasons, Indian companies were slow to adopt technology. But Digital India is set to change all that. It promises to promote India into a technological powerhouse. So, grab this opportunity and enter the new age. This is your time!

Source: moneycontrol