Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday launched the latest version of BHIM, the government’s flagship digital payments application, along with a specialised portal for start-ups and an Indian software product registry.
The revamped BHIM application, which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2016, will now allow users to bid for IPOs from within the application. Additionally, it will also come with a donation gateway and offers from merchants, which can be accessed from within the application.
Speaking at the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) StartUp Summit, the Minister said that the Indian Software Product Registry would help promote software product ecosystem in the country. “This registry would be a single window portal for collation of Indian Software Product Industry database,” he added.
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“I want Digital India platform to transform rural India and create aspirations in tier 3 and tier 4 cities and towns,” the Minister said, adding that for Digital India to succeed, government entities such as NIC and STPI must also become competitive.
Mr. Prasad also asked his department to digitally map innovative products by small entrepreneurs and artisans in villages across India.
He also launched a Meity start-up hub portal, which will be an overarching “collaborative platform” that will act as national coordinator and facilitator for all activities in the tech start-up ecosystem. “The main objectives of the portal are to support start-ups to reach out to mentors, facilitating technology resources across a gamut of incubators, and help start-ups scale from ideation to marketplace,” the Minister said.
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