New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (October 8) hailed the country’s digital governance initiatives, claiming that they had curbed leakages
in welfare schemes, helping save nearly Rs 5 lakh crore from going into “wrong hands” through Direct Benefit Transfers. He also reaffirmed his commitment to tackling “wrong practices.” During his address at the 10th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026, the Prime Minister further stated that nearly Rs 50 lakh crore had been transferred directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfers. PM Modi also vowed not be deterred by those who “shout or scream”, asserting that he was determined to end malpractices. “And through this, nearly 5 lakh crore rupees... this is not a small number... 5 lakh crore rupees have been saved from going into the wrong hands. Now tell me, those whose ill-gotten income has stopped, will they love Modi? Did I do the right thing or not? Should it be done or not? Should all these wrong practices be stopped or not?” he said. “No matter how much they shout or scream. I am determined to see this through; I will get it done,” he noted. The Prime Minister also questioned whether those who had allegedly benefited from the practices being curbed would back his efforts. “Now tell me, will those whose unearned income has stopped love Modi? Did I do the right thing or not? Should all these malpractices be stopped or not?” he said.
‘Democratisation Of Technology’
PM Modi said the Digital India initiative has played a key role in making technology more accessible and democratic. He also highlighted the role of the Digital India initiative in making technology more accessible, with mobile phones driving the transformation.
“Through the Digital India initiative, we resolved to change this situation, with the mobile phone at the centre of this transformation. This has been a major effort towards the democratisation of technology,” the Prime Minister said.
‘Global Framework To Tackle Cyber Frauds’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a global framework to tackle cyber frauds and deepfakes, saying digital threats have crossed national boundaries and require coordinated action by all stakeholders.
Inaugurating the 10th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026, Modi said governments, technology companies, telecom operators and financial institutions should create mechanisms to curb digital frauds.
“I urge the GSMA and telecom operators across the world: come, let us create a global mechanism that can stop such fraud before it reaches the people. India has learnt a lot from its experiences in this direction, and India is always ready to share its experiences with the world,” Modi said.
Technology can achieve scale only when it gains people’s trust, he said.
A person sitting in one country, with the help of a person in another country, can commit a crime in a third country, Modi said, adding that deepfakes have become a big challenge.
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister inaugurated the 10th edition of the IMC at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi. The four-day event, which commenced on October 7, highlights India’s advances in telecommunications, digital connectivity and technological innovation. This year’s theme, ‘Scale Without Boundaries’, underscores the country’s expanding capabilities in digital innovation, next-generation connectivity and technology-driven growth.
