Parliament Panel Criticises MeitY Over Budget Underutilisation, Sluggish DPDP Implementation
The panel has now asked MeitY to fast-track implementation and ensure that intended outcomes are achieved in time, especially in light of India’s growing digital economy and privacy imperatives.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology has criticised the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology for the underutilisation of over Rs 1,574 crore in FY 2023-24 and delays in implementing the Digital Personal Data Protection Act.
In a report dated July 24, the government has replied to the committee, acknowledging the shortfall, stating that nearly 70% of the unutilised funds pertain to two key schemes, the Production Linked Incentive scheme and the semiconductor and display manufacturing programme.
The ministry clarified that disbursal under these schemes is contingent on the performance and deliverables of private sector participants. "It is beyond the control of the ministry to ensure optimal utilisation of the allocated fund under these schemes," MeitY said.
The committee, however, rejected this explanation, stating that the ,inistry has a greater responsibility in proactively facilitating and monitoring these schemes. It urged the Ministry to engage more actively with private players and submit records of recent coordination meetings, along with actionable steps to avoid repeat underutilisation.
On the DPDP front, the ministry informed that a beta version of the proposed digital office has been developed. It has also held 20 awareness workshops on the DPDP Act and nine consultations on the draft DPDP rules. However, the panel noted that actual implementation remains slow. The ministry added that four brainstorming sessions were conducted in IITs to chart an R&D roadmap, stressing that the initiative requires industry participation due to the technical complexity and niche nature of DPDP-related tools.
The panel has now asked MeitY to fast-track implementation and ensure that intended outcomes are achieved in time, especially in light of India’s growing digital economy and privacy imperatives.
