Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday, 1 July 2026 extended greetings to the nation on the completion of 11 years of the Digital India programme, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for transforming governance and positioning Odisha as a leading technology state.

Context

The Digital India programme was formally launched on 1 July 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the stated goal of creating a digitally empowered society and transforming the delivery of public services. The programme marked a structural shift in how the Union government approached governance — moving service delivery online and bridging the urban-rural digital divide. Eleven years on, the anniversary has drawn tributes from state leaders across the country.

CM Majhi posted in Odia on X, writing that the initiative had 'ପ୍ରଶାସନିକ ବ୍ୟବସ୍ଥାରେ ସ୍ୱଚ୍ଛତା, ଉତ୍ତରଦାୟିତ୍ୱ ଓ ସଂସ୍କାର' [transparency, accountability and reform in governance] and that Odisha had emerged as a frontrunner in the technology sector through the mission.

Policy Backdrop

The Digital India initiative encompassed a wide range of interventions — from rural broadband connectivity and the DigiLocker platform to direct benefit transfers and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) ecosystem. These components collectively improved last-mile delivery of government services to citizens in remote areas. Over the past decade, the programme expanded into areas including digital literacy, e-health, and e-education.

A significant downstream policy linked to Digital India is the India Semiconductor Mission, approved by the Union Cabinet in December 2021, which provides incentives for chip manufacturing, design, and innovation ecosystems. Odisha has aligned its state-level IT and electronics policies to attract investment under this central framework. CM Majhi specifically highlighted that steps in the semiconductor and innovation sectors have become 'a bridge of new employment and immense opportunity' for Odisha's youth.

Stakeholders and Impact

The Chief Minister underscored that digital literacy has empowered women, farmers, and youth across Odisha — from villages to cities — enabling direct access to government services for the last beneficiary in the chain. This framing aligns with the Centre's stated objective of inclusive growth under the slogan 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' [Together with all, development for all].

For Odisha's youth in particular, the state government has linked the Digital India anniversary to emerging opportunities in the semiconductor and innovation space, signalling that state policy will continue to track central investment incentives in these high-growth sectors. Women and farmers in rural Odisha have been among the primary beneficiaries of direct benefit transfers and digital payment infrastructure built under the programme.

What's Next

CM Majhi reaffirmed the state's commitment to realising the 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India by 2047) vision through building a 'Samridha Odisha' (Prosperous Odisha), describing both as complementary goals. The Chief Minister thanked Prime Minister Modi for a 'revolutionary step' that has made governance more people-centric and accessible.

Going forward, attention will focus on the rollout of approved semiconductor and electronics projects in Odisha and the expansion of digital literacy and e-governance modules at the state level under central guidelines — the concrete policy actions that will determine whether the anniversary rhetoric translates into measurable outcomes for citizens.