Five Key Steps from Safe Digital Viksit Delhi
Published by Rajneetik Tarkas (Rashtriya Hindi Akhbar), in collaboration with Mission Vande Mataram Foundation
“Digital India today demands not just connectivity, but accountability.”
India’s rapid digital transformation has reshaped our lives. With over a billion mobile connections and expanding internet penetration, digital platforms have become integral to how Indians communicate, transact, and engage in democracy. But this transformation raises important questions:
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Are our citizens prepared for digital democracy?
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Are our policies keeping pace with the new digital realities?
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Are institutions transparent and accountable in this new era?
In response to these questions, the Digital Delhi Dialogue 2025 was convened. Scheduled for September 28, 2025, at the India International Centre, New Delhi, this forum brought together policymakers, educators, technologists, and civil society to deliberate on the way forward.
Organized under the banner of the Safe Digital Viksit Delhi Abhiyan, this initiative, led by Rajneetik Tarkas (Rashtriya Hindi Akhbar) in collaboration with the Mission Vande Mataram Foundation, aims to empower citizens and strengthen digital governance.
One clear outcome of the event was the identification of five critical national needs—five “lamps” to light the path toward a more accountable and inclusive Digital India. These recommendations are not just discussion points; they are concrete demands for national action.
1. Digital Citizenship Curriculum
Digital literacy is no longer optional. It is a foundational skill for all citizens.
The dialogue emphasized that students from grades 6 to 12 must be educated in:
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Data privacy and online safety
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Identifying and countering fake news
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Reporting cybercrimes
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Understanding digital rights and responsibilities
Currently, many digital skills programs are offered as optional workshops or extracurricular activities. The Safe Digital Viksit Delhi Abhiyan calls for this content to be integrated into the core national education curriculum—ensuring that every young Indian becomes a responsible digital citizen.
2. Digital Transparency Ranking
As political discourse increasingly moves online, influencing public opinion through social media, digital training centers, and public relations agencies has become widespread.
To preserve the integrity of democracy, an annual digital transparency ranking must be introduced. This ranking should cover:
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Major political parties
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Digital training institutions
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PR and promotional agencies
This transparency ranking will give the public clear insights into how various actors operate online—enhancing trust, accountability, and informed civic participation.
3. Justice System for Cyber Victims
Despite the digital boom, many citizens—especially women and adolescents—remain vulnerable to online harassment, fraud, and exploitation.
Victims often struggle to get justice, due to:
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Limited access to local cybercrime support
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Complex legal procedures
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Lack of recognition for digital evidence
The Safe Digital Viksit Delhi Abhiyan advocates for a robust justice framework, including:
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District-level Cyber Help Centers
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Legal recognition of digital evidence across courts
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Cyber counseling services targeted at vulnerable populations
This would ensure that cyber victims are not left to navigate a complex system alone, and that justice is timely and effective.
4. Digital Empowerment Centers
A digitally inclusive India requires practical training and community support at the grassroots level.
The dialogue highlighted the need for Digital Empowerment Centers in every district. These centers should offer:
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Hands-on training in essential tools like UPI, DigiLocker, and RTI
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Workshops on identifying and countering fake news
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Assistance in accessing various government and private digital services
Such centers would bridge the digital divide and bring underserved populations into the fold of India’s digital economy.
5. National Digital Policy Council
Finally, the dialogue emphasized that digital policy cannot be developed behind closed doors.
India needs a National Digital Policy Council that includes:
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Technologists and cybersecurity experts
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Youth representatives
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Educators and academics
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Media analysts and civil society members
This council should systematically evaluate the ethical, social, and technological impacts of all new digital policies—ensuring they align with democratic values and public good.
Conclusion: Toward a Safer, Smarter Digital India
The Safe Digital Viksit Delhi Abhiyan envisions an India where citizens are not only digitally connected but also digitally empowered and protected.
The five recommendations emerging from the Digital Delhi Dialogue 2025—Digital Citizenship Curriculum, Digital Transparency Ranking, Justice for Cyber Victims, Digital Empowerment Centers, and a National Digital Policy Council—represent actionable steps toward this vision.
Implementing these ideas requires a collaborative effort. Government, civil society, media, and technology leaders must come together to turn these “five lamps” into national policy.
By doing so, we will ensure that India’s digital journey is not just fast and expansive—but also accountable, ethical, and inclusive.
🛡️ This editorial is published under the Safe Digital Viksit Delhi Abhiyan—an initiative by Rajneetik Tarkas (Rashtriya Hindi Akhbar), in collaboration with the Mission Vande Mataram Foundation, aimed at fostering citizen empowerment in India’s digital age.