Government partners Google on 'Build for Digital India'

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on Saturday entered into a partnership with Google with the aim of rolling out "Build for Digital India", a programme that will give engineering students a platform to develop market-ready, technology-based solutions that address key social problems. The programme will invite ideas from students to focus on areas of healthcare, agriculture, education, smart cities and infrastructure, women safety, smart mobility and transportation, environment, accessibility and disability and digital literacy.

As part of the programme, engineering students across the country will be invited to apply and join in a learning journey that will help them transform their bright ideas into real-world solutions. Applicants will take part in online and offline learning opportunities on key technologies such as Machine Learning, Cloud and Android. 

These will be offered through Google`s Developer Student Club network and other Google Developer networks. Google will also offer mentorship sessions in product design, strategy and technology to the most promising products and prototypes.

"I am delighted that Ministry of Electronics and IT and Google have come together for `Build for Digital India` initiative. This initiative will not only motivate the college students across India to innovate but will also produce some good technology solutions for some major social challenges of India," IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a statement.

A formal call to join the programme will be announced soon, Google said. "Advanced new technologies like Machine Learning and AI can help address at scale some of the toughest social challenges that India faces today," said Karan Bhatia, Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Policy, Google. 

"We are pleased to be partnering with MeitY to reach, inspire and equip today`s young engineers with the technical and entrepreneurial skills and the mentorship they need to turn their bright ideas into tomorrow`s breakthrough solutions," Bhatia added.