Government’s steps towards The Open Network for Digital Commerce: Current Affairs Special Series

Team Adda247 and BankersAdda are here with a Current Affairs Special Series. In this series, candidates will be introduced to current affairs topics daily, which will not only improve their general awareness but also will ensure that the candidates do not lack in any current affairs topic. Today’s Current Affairs topic is Government’s steps towards The Open Network for Digital Commerce.

Government’s steps towards The Open Network for Digital Commerce

The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is a project which is an initiative of the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The task has been given to the Quality Council of India (QCI) for ONDC project.

The main aim of the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is to promote open networks developed on open source methodology, using open specifications and open network protocols independent of any specific platform. The expectations for ONDC are to digitise the entire value chain, standardise operations, promote inclusion of suppliers, derive efficiencies in logistics, and enhance value for consumers. The idea of an ONDC was considered last year to bring some kind of standards and streamline the country’s e-commerce ecosystem. Currently, in India different e-marketplaces have a different set of rules that at times make it difficult for small traders and suppliers to adopt.  

The Government has announced or being planned to be rolled out some changes for the e-commerce sector and this move is the latest in a series of changes. The government’s draft e-commerce policy under the consumer protection Act has induced considerable unease among e-tailers for a host of changes, including the ban of “specific flash sales” by e-commerce players. 

Mr. Nandan Nilekani, the non-executive chairman of IT giant Infosys and RS Sharma, CEO of the National Health Authority have been named by the Centre to a nine-member panel to curb digital monopolies. This committee will aim at promoting open networks and digitise value chains and enhance value for consumers, a government order etc. Mr. Nilekani, a veteran of the Indian IT industry will advise as a member of the advisory council of the government that will recommend measures needed to design and accelerate the adoption of ONDC. He was earlier Chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India, the statutory authority that issues Aadhar. He has experience as the head of the Government of India’s Technology Advisory Group for Unique Projects that looks into the technology part of five large financial sector projects, including the Tax Information Network (TIN), the New Pension Scheme and the Goods and Services Tax. 

A Committee of 9 Members consists:

RS Sharma-CEO of the National Health Authority, Adil Zainulbhai- Chief of Quality Council of India, Nandan Nilekani- Non-executive chairman of Infosys, Anjali Bansal- founder of Avaana Capital, Dilip Asbe- head of National Payments Corporation of India, Arvind Gupta- co-founder of Digital India Foundation, Praveen Khandelwal – Chief of Confederation of All India Traders, Kumar Rajagopalan- CEO of the Retailers Association of India, Suresh Sethi-MD and CEO of NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure.