India second largest mobile manufacturing hub globally: President Kovind

India is making rapid strides in electronics production and has emerged as second-largest mobile phone manufacturing hub globally, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Friday.

dressing a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament, Kovind said value of electronic equipment manufactured in country has increased to Rs 4.58 lakh crore in 2018-19 from Rs 1.90 lakh crore in 2014-15.

"In 2014, re were only two companies manufacturing mobiles in India. Today, India is second-largest mobile manufacturing hub in world," he said.

He ted that government is promoting manufacturing of mobile phones, TVs and or electronic devices, and National Policy on Electronics has been formulated in this regard.

Over last few years, government has been bullish on making India a manufacturing base for world and has set a target to promote domestic manufacturing in entire value-chain of ESDM (electronic system design and manufacturing) to achieve a turver of USD 400 billion (Rs 26 lakh crore) by 2025.

For mobile handset segment alone, government, under National Policy on Electronics 2019, h set a target of making 100 crore mobile handsets indigeusly by 2025, valued at about Rs 13 lakh crore.

Out of 100-crore mobile handset manufacturing target, 60 crore units will be for exports valued at about Rs 7 lakh crore.

According to industry body Indian Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA), mobile handset exports grew over eight-fold to Rs 11,200 crore in 2018-19 and exceeded imports for first time.

President, in his dress on Friday, said techlogy is playing a major role in bringing cities and vills closer.

"So far, more than 1.25 lakh Gram Panchayats have been connected with high speed broband under BharatNet scheme," he said.

In 2014, re were 60,000 Common Service Centres in rural areas, a number that has w increased to more than 3.65 lakh.

"This has provided employment to more than 12 lakh villrs. Through se centres, government is delivering more than 45 services in rural areas," he said.

Asserting that digital techlogy is foundation of Industrial Revolution 'Industry 4.0', he said government has focussed on digital access, digital inclusion and digital empowerment in an "unparalleled manner" through Digital India Programme.

"It is a matter of pride for country that digital systems developed in India during last five years have been a source of inspiration for several countries of world," he said.

Kovind said more than 121 crore people in country have Ahaar cards and about 60 crore people possess RuPay cards.

"A record value of Rs 2 lakh crore has been transacted through UPI in December 2019," he said ding government has also launched a new version of BHIM App.

government has linked about 450 schemes to Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) by using `JAM Trinity' of Jan-Dhan, Ahaar and Mobile.

He said over Rs 9 lakh crore has been directly transferred to bank accounts of beneficiaries through DBT in last five years.

"By plugging leaks, my Government has saved about Rs 1.70 lakh crore from going into wrong hands," he ded.

Im: ANI twitter