Aarogya Setu app reaches 100 mn users day after PM Modi pitches for Aatmanirbhar Bharat

The Aarogya Setu app on  Wednesday hit a massive milestone of 100 million users, the official Twitter handle of the app stated. This comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched for a self-reliant India and announced an economic package worth Rs 20 lakh crore. Launched as India’s contact-tracing app on April 2, it has become the world's most downloaded health care app. So far, it has helped the health authorities to identify 616 potential hotspots where corrective action has been taken. 

Aarogya Setu uses Bluetooth and GPS connectivity to help track the Covid-19 infection. In the app, users can check whether they have come in contact with a Covid-19 infected person and the app allows users to self-assess their symptoms as well. Since its launch, it has undergone various updates and has also come under the scanner of breach of data privacy. 

MHA makes Aarogya Setu App mandatory

The Ministry of Home Affairs amended its guidelines for the extended lockdown in India till May 17. In the notification issued by the MHA, the Centre made the use of its contact tracing app Aarogya Setu mandatory in containment zones and for all public and private entity employees. While the Centre has hailed the app as adhering to global standards, several Opposition leaders and privacy experts have raised issues with it. Moreover, as the Indian Railways resumed passenger train operations, it announced that installing the government's COVID tracking app- Aarogya Setu was 'mandatory' for the travelling passengers. 

READ | PM Modi announces economic package of Rs.20 lakh crore worth 10% of India's GDP

Govt issues data processing rules

Amid concerns expressed in certain quarters about data privacy of people who use the app, the government on Tuesday issued a set of guidelines for processing of data collected through Aarogya Setu app that bar storage of data for more than six months and specify jail term for violators of certain rules.

The guidelines provide an option to individuals to seek deletion of their data from the record within 30 days of making such a request while a senior government official asserted that "privacy is an important aspect of Aarogya Setu".

Experts state that the app's usage of GPS-based location data is gaining more date than what is necessary. Moreover, experts state that the location data is not used by the app on an individual basis, but on an aggregated basis. Data analysts have also questioned why the Centre has not made the source code of the app available for examination by the larger technology community. However, the government has ruled out these criticisms. 

READ | PM Modi Lays Down 'Aatma Nirbhar Bharat' As India's Plan To Battle Coronavirus Crisis

PM Modi's announcement

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a financial package with an aim to make India self-reliant (Atmanirbhar). According to him, the earlier decisions of the Centre along with the new package totals to Rs.20 lakh crore- i.e 10% of India's GDP.  The details of the package shall be announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday, May 13. The PM mentioned that this would benefit the workers, hawkers, street vendors, farmers, the business class, etc. He added that special emphasis has been paid to land, labour, liquidity and laws. PM Modi also said that a self-reliant India should be vocal about local so that it can be global. About lockdown extension, he said that citizens will be informed about the new guidelines of Lockdown 4.0 before May 18.

READ | Finance Min lauds PM's announcement of economic package, stresses 'everyone to benefit'