Lok Sabha Question No. 507 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-06
Subject: Digital Locker
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: MEENAKASHI LEKHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 507

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2019

## DIGITAL LOCKER

## 507.    SHRIMATI MEENAKASHI LEKHI:

Will the Minister of ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) whether Government offices and departments accept documents via DigiLocker and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether efforts are taken to ensure that benefits of DigiLocker are also made available to people in areas with low internet connectivity and if so, the steps taken so far in this regard;
- (c) whether the Government has conducted any awareness drives to urge people to upload their  documents on DigiLocker and simultaneously with private entities like educational institutions, healthcare providers etc. to register as requestors and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the details of people who have registered as users and the total volume of documents that have been uploaded?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI S. S. AHLUWALIA)

(a): Yes.  Sir.  Digital  documents  are  acceptable  in  various  Government  offices  and departments through DigiLocker. Under Rule 9A of "The Information Technology (Preservation  and  Retention  of  Information  by  Intermediaries  Providing  Digital  Locker Facilities) Rules, 2016" the issued documents available via Digital Locker are to be treated at par with original physical documents.

Various Ministries have also released a notification regarding acceptance of digital documents through DigiLocker. These are as under:

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has released a notification regarding acceptance of Driving License, Registration Certificate through DigiLocker. http://morth.nic.in/showfile.asp?lid=3305

Ministry of Civil Aviation (Bureau of Civil Aviation Security) has released a notification regarding acceptance of digital documents through DigiLocker. https://img1.digitallocker.gov.in/assets/img/circulars/acceptance\_of\_digiLocker\_at\_airports.p df

Ministry of Railways has released a notification regarding acceptance of digital documents through DigiLocker. https://img1.digitallocker.gov.in/assets/img/circulars/CC\_33\_2018.pdf

Additionally,  various  departments  like  Union  Public  Service  Commission  (UPSC),  Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), among others are also accessing DigiLocker documents via DigiLocker.

(b): DigiLocker  system  has  evolved  various  mechanisms  to  ensure  that  its  services  are available  to  citizens  even  in  the  cases  of  low  internet  connectivity  or  no  connectivity. Printable secure Quick Response (QR) Code for Offline sharing and verification, App based Mobile View facilities are also available in DigiLocker system which helps users to access their documents even if Internet connection is slow.

(c): Various workshops for DigiLocker are being held in States/UTs to create awareness in the  government departments about benefits of DigiLocker and Step by Step description of how to integrate with DigiLocker. Recently, a campaign was also run on Social Media Site to create  awareness  among  citizens  and  to  promote  DigiLocker  as  a  platform  for  accessing digital documents.

Presently,  DigiLocker is integrated with about 35 requester organizations/ agencies, whose details can be found at 'Registered Requesters' tab at https://digilocker.gov.in/public/dashboard,  including  many  educational  institutions  such  as Dr.  B.R.  Ambedkar  Institute  of  Technology,  Andaman  &  Nicobar  Islands  (DBRAIT), Department of Higher Education, Chandigarh Administration, etc. and healthcare providers such  as  Public  Health  Records  System  developed  by  CDAC,  Mohali.  Further,  various meetings  have  been  held  with  State  IT,  Revenue,  Education  departments,  Healthcare providers, etc. to integrate as issuer and/or requestor for availing DigiLocker services.

(d): Currently, the total number of users who are registered with DigiLocker is 1.92 Crore. The  total  number  of  documents,  from  the  Issuing  Authorities  such  as  UIDAI,  CBDT, MoPNG, MoRTH, Education Boards, etc., accessible to the registered users in DigiLocker is 348  Crore.  Also,  over  2.36  Crore  documents  have  been  uploaded  in  DigiLocker  by  the registered users.

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