Software & Software‑enabled Services (SSeS) was the
first non-traditional economic activity which gave a boost to India’s exports.
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2219981®=48&lang=2
Since 2022, the gig economy has been a major contributor to
the economy, quality of life, and employment in India. However, this cannot
continue without government initiative. The first few years of success have
been due to the absence of regulatory control. It was largely driven by the
telecom revolution: the spread of affordable cell phones and access to the
Internet. Employment in India’s gig sector is expected to grow from 7.7 million
workers in 2020–21 to 23.5 million workers by 2029–30, according to NITI Aayog
(Government of India). Careful government initiatives will be necessary
to support such growth.
Mere control will be counterproductive. Initiatives to create
greater opportunities for growth of this sector are essential. Focusing only on
the job-creation aspect will be short-sighted. The jobs created need to contribute
to the consumer’s benefit and increase overall productivity.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx20qlglgw5o
One obvious area that can support a million new productive
jobs is to allow all payment banks to deliver services at the consumer’s
doorstep. Currently, the only bank allowed to do this is the Government of
India–owned payments bank, operated by the Department of Posts (IPPB). It
is a brilliant idea to enable customers to transfer money to IPPB from any bank
using the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and for the post-persons deliver
cash at the door. Why should not other
Payment Banks be allowed to do this? This alone may create a million productive
jobs.
Another obvious area is for hospitals in the public sector to
provide health services at the patient’s doorstep. I know a couple of families
that found it impossible to get proper care in public hospitals. They could not give up their jobs to wait long
hours in queues and to run from one building to another. In one of these families,
the main breadwinner is a cancer patient who is now without proper treatment.
His wife has to slog in her job to keep body and soul together.
Portals for public service are often user-unfriendly.
It is important to audit them for user-friendliness. It is not only to serve
Indian citizens. Poor quality Indian portals bring a bad name to our software
and service capabilities and threaten a major export business of India.
Srinivasan Ramani
7-09-2026
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