Digital technology effectively used to respond to Covid-19: EY survey

Eighty percent of Indian citizens feel that the government and public services in India have been effective in using digital technology to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new ‘EY Connected Citizen Survey’.

Respondents in India hold a favourable attitude towards technology and see an important role for technological innovation in public service delivery, it said.

The survey was conducted by market research firm, Ipsos MORI, with1000respondents from India between the age of 18 to 50, and globally12,100respondents across12countries, an EY statement said.

According to the survey, 73% of the Indian respondents believe technology will change public services for the better, and 71% think the pandemic will lead to greater use of technology in their daily lives in the future.

It revealed that 63% of Indian citizens feel comfortable sharing their personal data online with the government in order to access a service.

Partner and Leader, the Government and Public Sector, EY India, Gaurav Taneja, said digitisation is the new normal and the Indian Government was quick to adopt technologies, especially during the pandemic, to deliver safe, secure, and improved digital services to all citizens.

Respondents in India are comfortable with technology replacing face-to-face human interaction and are inclined to use an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot to communicate with the government, the survey found.

They want the government to prioritise making certain services available online including pension planning, resources to help people set up businesses, and providing more ways for citizens to have an online say in government decision making.

Looking ahead to the future, 81% of the Indian respondents think that technology will change the way they bank and shop, 80% think that it will change the way they work/study, and 79% think that it will change the way they entertain themselves.