UNGA Prez Lauds India For Lifting 800 Million Out Of Poverty "Simply By Smartphones"

The President of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, Dennis Francis, lauded India's efforts in digitisation, crediting the country for lifting 800 million people out of poverty over the past 5-6 years.

Speaking at a lecture hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the UN on the topic "Accelerating progress towards Zero Hunger for the current and future generations," Francis highlighted the transformative impact of digitalisation in India, particularly in rural areas.

"Providing the basis to rapid development, such as through digitalisation. Take, for example, the case of India...India has been able to lift 800 million people out of poverty over the last 5-6 years simply by the use of smartphones," Francis stated.

He noted how individuals in rural India are now able to make payments and pay bills with just the touch of a smartphone, a feat made possible by the country's high internet penetration.

He further elaborated, "Rural farmers in India who never had a relationship with the banking system, are now able to transact all their businesses on their smartphone. They pay their bills, they receive payments for orders. 800 million people lifted out of poverty. Because there is a high level of internet penetration in India, almost everyone has a cellphone."

However, Francis pointed out that such advancements are not widespread in many parts of the Global South, calling for initiatives to address these inequalities as a critical step in negotiating a global framework for digitalisation.

The rapid digitisation in India has been a central focus of the Narendra Modi government over the last decade. The rise of digital payment transactions, particularly through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), has been significant.

Prime Minister Modi has championed digitisation through the JAM initiative—Jan Dhan, Aadhar, and Mobile—which has encouraged people to open bank accounts and link them with Aadhar. This initiative has facilitated the direct transfer of government benefits to people across the country, including those in rural areas, thereby enhancing connectivity and financial inclusion.

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