Along with a lot of other important announcements made in the union budget 2018-19 on February 1, Digitalization was given a lot of importance. This will give a scope for increase in digital marketing and the social media activities. The Broadband access in villages, the Government proposes to set up five lakh wi-fi hotspots to provide net connectivity to five crore rural citizens. The Finance Minister allocated Rs. 10000 crore in 2018-19 for creation and augmentation of Telecom infrastructure. Digital marketing will grow in all ways as well as social media and SEO will get more scope for growth now.
The Finance Minister announced a proposal to roll out E-assessment across the country to almost eliminate person to person contact leading to greater efficiency and transparency in direct tax collection. E-assessment had been introduced on a pilot basis in 2016 and extended to 102 cities in 2017. Also the Finance Minister said that NITI Aayog will initiate a national program to direct efforts in artificial intelligence.
Department of Science & Technology will launch a Mission on Cyber Physical Systems to support establishment of centres of excellence for research, training and skilling in robotics, artificial intelligence, digital manufacturing, big data analysis, quantum communication and internet of things. The Budget doubled the allocation on Digital India programme to Rs 3073 crore in 2018-19.