**Summary:**
Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 587, addressed to the Minister of Electronics and Information Technology on July 23, 2025, inquires about government policies promoting the adoption of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). The questions focus on reducing dependency on proprietary software and curbing monopolies in public service delivery. Specific areas of inquiry include:
* Whether new policies have been introduced to promote FOSS adoption.
* Details of key government projects that have transitioned to FOSS, including impact and cost savings.
* Steps taken to integrate FOSS tools in educational institutions.
* Initiatives to encourage FOSS development, including financial support and training.
* Challenges faced in widespread FOSS adoption and measures to address them.
The Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology responded that the Government of India's digital strategy is based on the Prime Minister's vision to democratize technology. Policies for using specific software system solutions are decided from time to time and are based on technical and security requirements. Several digital platforms such as Aadhaar, DigiLocker, PM Gati Shakti, Aarogya Setu, Unified Payment Interface, etc have been developed.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology: A ministry of the Government of India responsible for electronics and information technology policy.
Free and OpenSource Software (FOSS): A type of software that is both free to use and whose source code is available for modification and distribution.
SHRI ARUN BHARTI: A member of Lok Sabha who raised a question about FOSS adoption.
SHRI JITIN PRASADA: Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology who provided the answer to the question.
Aadhaar: A 12-digit individual identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India.
DigiLocker: A digital locker service provided by the Government of India to store official documents.
PM Gati Shakti: A national master plan for multi-modal connectivity to improve infrastructure and reduce logistical costs.
Unified Payment Interface: A real-time payment system that facilitates inter-bank transactions.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 587
TO BE ANSWERED ON: 23.07.2025
FREE AND OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE
587. SHRI ARUN BHARTI:
Will the Minister of ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has introduced any new policies to promote the adoption of Free and
Open-Source Software (FOSS) to reduce dependency on proprietary software and curb monopolies
in public service delivery;
(b) the details of key Government projects that have transitioned to FOSS solutions, including their
impact on public service delivery and cost savings;
(c) the details of steps taken by the Government to integrate FOSS tools in educational institutions
to promote digital literacy and innovation among students;
(d) the initiatives launched to encourage FOSS development in the country including financial
support, training programmes and incentives for developers and startups; and
(e) the challenges faced in ensuring widespread adoption of FOSS in public administration and
private sectors along with the measures being taken to address them?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI JITIN PRASADA)
(a) to (e): Government of India’s digital strategy is based on Prime Minister’s vision to democratise
technology.
Government has developed several digital platforms such as Aadhaar, DigiLocker, PM Gati
Shakti, Aarogya Setu, Unified Payment Interface, etc. Policies for using specific software
system/ solutions are decided from time and time and are based on technical and security
requirements.
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