Parliament Question: Limited Digital Infrastructure in Western Uttar Pradesh

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 499 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 22.07.2026 LIMITED DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN WESTERN UTTAR PRADESH 499. SHRI ZIA UR REHMAN: Will the Minister of ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government is aware of limited digital infrastructure, cyber awareness and IT- based employment opportunities in Western Uttar Pradesh; (b) if so, the details of steps taken by the Government to promote digital inclusion and IT skill development in the region; (c) whether similar challenges exist across the country; and (d) if so, the details of national measures undertaken to strengthen digital governance and the IT ecosystem? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA) (a) to (d): In line with Hon’ble Prime Minister's vision to democratise technology and empower citizens, the Government of India had launched the Digital India programme in July, 2015. At its core, the programme promotes three interconnected goals: strengthening digital infrastructure, delivering government services digitally, and empowering citizens through digital literacy and employment. The Government has implemented several initiatives and policy measures to strengthen digital infrastructure, create cyber awareness, generate IT-based employment opportunities, and expand digital inclusion across the country including Uttar Pradesh. Details of some of the key initiatives are as follows: Digital Connectivity and Digital Infrastructure: Digital India has contributed to the rapid expansion of internet access, through initiatives such as BharatNet, which aims to provide high- speed internet to rural and remote areas. As a result, there has been a substantial increase in internet accessibility and usage across the country, and internet penetration in India has grown in the last decade. • Telecom, Internet & Broadband Penetration: Total telephone connections in India grew from 93.3 crores in March 2014 to 133+ crores in March, 2026. In Uttar Pradesh, the total number of telephone subscribers has crossed 18.60 crore. • Internet subscribers jumped from 25.15 crore in March 2014 to 109.27 crore in March, 2026. In Uttar Pradesh, the total number of Internet subscribers has crossed 14.64 crore. • The overall tele-density which was 75.23 % in March 2014 rose to 93.26% in March 2026.• BharatNet - Linking Villages to the Internet: The infrastructure created under BharatNet project is a national asset, accessible on a non-discriminatory basis to the Service Providers, and the same can be utilized to provide broadband services, such as Wi- Fi Hotspots, Fibre to the Home (FTTH) connections, leased lines, etc. As of June 2026, a total of 2.21 lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) have been made service-ready under the BharatNet Project across the country, including 49,299 GPs in Uttar Pradesh. • Aadhaar: Aadhaar is the world’s largest digital identity programme that provides biometric and demographic-based unique digital identity. Aadhaar created a trusted biometric identity platform for secure and instant digital authentication. Aadhaar enrolments increased from 0.42 crore in 2010-11 to over 144+ crore by June 2026. In Uttar Pradesh, over 24.25 crore Aadhaar have been generated. • Unified Payments Interface (UPI): UPI has revolutionized digital transactions across the country. UPI has empowered millions of individuals and small businesses in rural and remote areas to make fast, secure and low-cost digital payments, significantly advancing financial inclusion. UPI is now live in over eight countries, including the UAE, Singapore, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, France, Mauritius and Qatar, making India a global trailblazer in digital payments. o UPI serves more than 49 crore individuals, 6.5 crore merchants, and connects 731 banks on one platform, making it the world’s largest digital payment system. o UPI powers 85% of India’s digital payments and nearly 50% of global real-time digital payments. • DigiLocker has provided anytime access to authentic digital documents from original issuer for the common citizen. More than 71.66 crore users are registered with DigiLocker to avail its services and more than 936.03 crore documents issued from 2822 issuers onboarded on the platform. More than 645 Lakh Aadhaar enabled registrations have taken place in the state of Uttar Pradesh to avail DigiLocker services. • Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance (UMANG) for accessing digital services through mobile App, one mobile application for all government services, is operational and offers 2585 services for individuals. In the State of Uttar Pradesh, 92 services from various departments are integrated/onboarded on the UMANG platform. • Common Services Centres – CSCs are offering government and business services in digital mode enhancing last-mile connectivity in rural areas through Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs). Over 800 services are being delivered through CSCs. As on May 2026, 5.01 lakh CSCs are functional across the country (in rural and urban areas), out of which 3.91 lakh CSCs are functional at the Gram Panchayat level (rural). In the state of Uttar Pradesh 1.12 lakh CSCs are functional across the state (in rural and urban areas), out of which, 87,839 CSCs are functional at the Gram Panchayat level (rural). In addition, the Government of Uttar Pradesh has undertaken several initiatives to strengthen the State's digital infrastructure and promote IT-led development. The Uttar Pradesh State Data Centre (UPSDC) has been established to host e-Governance applications and citizen-centric digital services for all 75 districts of the State. A centralized Security Operations Centre has also been established to enhance the security of applications, data, and digital services. Further, the Uttar Pradesh State Wide Area Network (UPSWAN) has been upgraded to provide secure and reliable connectivity up to the block level, ensuring seamless delivery of e-Governance services across the State, including Western Uttar Pradesh. Building Digital Skills: India’s digital transformation goes beyond mere access; it focuses on empowering people and institutions to use technology effectively, driving inclusive growth, strengthening digital governance, and enabling citizens across the nation.▪ Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) is one of the world’s largest digital literacy initiatives with over 6.39 Crore persons getting trained nationwide (against the target of 6 Crore). In the state of Uttar Pradesh, 1.50 crore candidates were trained under the Scheme. ▪ FutureSkills Prime is a collaborative initiative of Government of India and NASSCOM. It provides skilling, reskilling, and upskilling in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, Internet of Things (IoTs), Cyber Security, Blockchain, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality (AR/VR), etc. Under the programme, so far, more than 34+ lakh candidates have registered on the portal, out of which there have been 23+ lakh candidates enrolled/trained in various courses. In the state of Uttar Pradesh, more than 1.12 lakh candidates have enrolled/trained in various courses, which includes 60,000+ candidates from western Uttar Pradesh. ▪ National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) provides digital literacy courses such as Awareness in Computer Concept (ACC), Course on Computer Concepts (CCC) etc. Currently, NIELIT operates 56 of its own Centres and a Nationwide network of 9000+ partner institutes for conducting skill development activities in IECT areas. In the State of Uttar Pradesh, NIELIT has presence through its 4-centre located at Gorakhpur, Lucknow, Pilibhit and CoE in Chip design at Noida. Since the year 2020, 36 Lakh+ candidates have been skilled by NIELIT in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Indian IT/ ITeS industry: Our IT industry has been progressively contributing to the growth of exports and creation of employment opportunities. India's digital economy is creating large- scale employment opportunities. The IT and ITeS industry is estimated to have generated USD 283 billion in revenue in FY25, according to NASSCOM. India’s 2,100+ Global Capability Centres (GCCs) employ around 26 lakh professionals across engineering, analytics, cyber security, and AI-driven roles. Digital Entrepreneurship: To strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Electronics and ICT domain across Tier-II and Tier-III cities in India, MeitY has undertaken several initiatives to promote technology-driven startups and innovation ecosystem in the country. Some of these initiatives are: • Government has set up 73 Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) centres of which 65 centres are located in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Out of these, Six (06) centres have been established in Uttar Pradesh at Prayagraj, Kanpur, Lucknow, Noida, Meerut and Gorakhpur. • ‘Gen-Next Support for Innovative Startups (GENESIS)’ Scheme envisages scaling up about 1,600 technology startups, to discover, nurture and grow technology startups. The scheme is being implemented through 65 incubation centres as Implementing Agencies • Further, under the Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs (TIDE 2.0) Scheme, financial and technical support is being provided through selected incubators located in institutes of higher learning and premier R&D organizations across the country. Support is channelled through 51 incubators situated in top academic institutions and national research organisations across the country. In addition, the Department of IT & Electronics, Government of Uttar Pradesh, has undertaken several initiatives to promote the IT/ITeS ecosystem across the State, including Western UttarPradesh. The region has emerged as a major IT/ITeS hub, hosting leading BPO/KPO companies such as Genpact and Teleperformance, which generate significant employment opportunities. Further, prominent technology companies, including TCS, Microsoft, Infosys, and Paytm, have established or are expanding their operations in Noida, further reinforcing the region's position as a key technology and innovation hub. Cyber awareness: • The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) is designated as the national agency for responding to cyber security incidents under the provisions of section 70B of the Information Technology Act, 2000. CERT-In works with other agencies involved in ensuring cybersecurity including Telecom Security Operations Centre (TSOC), India Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), National Centre Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC), etc. • The Government has established the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) for protection of critical information infrastructure in the country under the provisions of section 70A of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000. • CERT-In operates an automated cyber threat exchange platform for proactively collecting, analysing and sharing tailored alerts with State Governments and organisations across sectors for proactive threat mitigation. • CERT-In issues alerts and advisories regarding latest cyber threats/vulnerabilities and countermeasures to protect computers, networks and data on an ongoing basis. • Cyber security mock drills are conducted regularly to enable assessment of cyber security posture and preparedness of organisations in Government and critical sectors. • Computer Security Incident Response Team in Finance sector (CSIRT-Fin) under CERT- In is operational since May 2020 to coordinate cyber incident response in the banking and financial sector. • Cyber Swachhta Kendra (CSK) is a citizen-centric service provided by CERT-In, which extends the vision of Swachh Bharat to the cyber space. Cyber Swachhta Kendra is the Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre and helps to detect malicious programs and provides free tools to remove the same, and also provides cyber security tips and best practices for citizens and organisations. • Regular training workshops are conducted for cybersecurity professionals, Chief Information Security Officers (CISO) and Government employees etc. • Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA): ISEA programme has been implemented by MeitY for generating human resources in Information Security and creating general awareness on various aspects of cyber hygiene & cyber security among the masses. So far, 6,650 awareness workshops have been conducted across the country, covering 11.37 lakh+ participants, including school/colleges students, teachers, law enforcement, government personnel, and general public. It includes 556 awareness workshops organized in Uttar Pradesh covering 1 lakh+ participants, out of which 313 awareness workshops were conducted in Western Uttar Pradesh covering 65000+ participants. *******