New Delhi: E-passports will be rolled out in 2022-23 to enhance convenience for citizens in their overseas travel, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told Parliament on Tuesday while presenting the Union Budget.
This was first announced in 2019 and the prototype was tested in a US government identified laboratory. These e-passports will take a few seconds to read. The holder’s photograph and fingerprints are stored in the chip, which has a capacity to store 30 visits.
In another major announcement, she said digital rupee will be issued using blockchain and other technologies. It will be issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) starting 2022-23. This is expected to give a big boost to the economy.
FM Sitharaman said that a digital ecosystem for skilling and livelihood will also be launched. This will aim to skill, reskill, upskill citizens through online training and have API-based skill credentials, payment layers to find relevant jobs and opportunities
An open platform for the national digital health ecosystem will also be rolled out. It will consist of digital registries of health providers and health facilities, unique health identity and universal access to health facilities.
“The pandemic has accentuated mental health problems in people of all ages. To better access to quality mental health counselling and care services, a National Tele Mental Health programme will be launched,” she said
A network of 23 tele-mental health centres of excellence will be set up, with NIMHANS being the nodal centre and International Institute of Information Technology-
Bangalore (IIITB) providing the technology support.
India will also launch sovereign green bonds, she added.
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