Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) allows for innovative and convenient public services, help overcome inclusion or accessibility barriers, and increase transparency and accountability with real-time data. Discuss with examples.

1. Better usage of mobiles as with UPI for easy payment. Eg: German minister paying for vegetables via UPI
2. Improve targetted service delivery Eg: Aadhaar based payments in MNREGA.
3. Innovative to tackle the growing money laundering issue Eg: Central Bank Digital Currency for traceability

Overcome inclusion or accessibility barrier

1. Take the banking to homes. Eg Yono SBI app.
2. Take the ease of accessibility due to lack of barriers. Eg CBDC has no intermediary.
3. No inclusion or exclusion errors due to duplicity. Eg seen with Aadhaar to ration Card linkage.

Increase transparency & accountability

1. Data visible to all who have permission → uphold upward accountability
2. Net banking has brought the transparency in transaction → no more |bank hidden charges|
3. JAM Trinity has helped prevent leakages - due to |direct benefit transfer|

However, there are numerous challenges galore —

1. Lack of digital connectivity → only 42% have internet (NSSO data)
2. Lack of digital literacy → only 10% in rural areas (NSSO data)
3. Inequality in access due to limited availability of infrastructure. Eg → no kiosk at Common Service Centre.
4. Lack of people centric governance → mostly in English → not in vernacular websites
5. Lack of effective protection of data → violate privacy

Way ahead

1. Business process reengineering (II ARC)
2. PPP basis of implementation → learn from "think digital" of UP