the central government has doubled the allocation for the Digital India programme

In the recently announced Union Budget 2018-19, the central government has doubled the allocation for the Digital India programme to Rs 30.73 billion. Further, the government has allocated Rs 100 billion to install 500,000 hotspots across the country, which will provide broadband to approximately 50 million Indians. It has also increased the basic customs duty on handsets to 20 per cent and imposed a 15 per cent duty on some components, as well as extended its support for the establishment of a 5G test bed in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.