IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in Top 20 list for digital governance
UK-based organisation Apolitical, which brings together governments and citizens, recently released its list of 100 most influential leaders in the field of digital governance for 2018. Among those featured, India's Minister for Electronics and IT, and Law and Justice, Ravi Shankar Prasad, was in the list of Top 20 leaders.
The organisation said the Indian government, under the minister's guidance, was working on a new data protection, digital inclusion, and cyber security framework. It added that India had initiated several new e-governance initiatives, including a unified mobile app for services, an online procurement platform, and an open government data platform.
Apolitical also credited Minister Prasad with bringing digital TV to India, and the corporatisation of the Indian film industry.
"...Present our 2018 list of the world’s 100 most influential people in digital government. It’s the first-of-its kind to show the international spread of the field, and includes individuals from every continent," the organisation said on its website.
It added that digital technologies are transforming all aspects of our lives, and our governments. In every country, and at all levels of government, officials and ministers are having to work to reform and reimagine government for the digital era, and the people leading this transformation are often as visionary, imaginative and determined as the tech entrepreneurs.
"Digital government is, of course, no longer brand-new. A first generation of reformers has been followed by a new one, who are building on their predecessors’ learnings. Because of this, we have concentrated on celebrating those currently working in or on digital government, rather than some of the pioneers who cut the first path through the analog undergrowth," the Apolitical said.
Others who made it to the list include Australia Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo and Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon.
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