Government sets up panel to prevent digital monopolies; Nandan Nilekani to join as advisor

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Monday announced the constitution of an advisory committee to accelerate the development of open network for digital commerce (ONDC), designed to prevent digital monopolies.
Infosys non-executive chairman Nandan Nilekani will join this panel as an advisor, along with eight other members.

The department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) in an order said it has initiated a project on ONDC and the task has been assigned to Quality Council of India.
The committee aims at promoting open networks developed on open-sourced methodology, using open specifications and open network protocols independent of specific platform.
"ONDC is expected to digitise the entire value chain, standardise operations, promote inclusion of suppliers, derive efficiencies in logistics and enhance value for consumers," the DPIIT said in an official statement.
Additional secretary (ITeC), DPIIT will be the convener of the advisory council, it said.
The other members of the council are QCI chairman Adil Zainulbhai, Avaana Capital founder Anjali Bansal, Digital India Foundation co-founder Arvind Gupta, National Payments Corporation India CEO Dilip Asbe, National Security Depository MD Suresh Sethi, CAIT secretary general P Khandelwal, and Retailers Association of India CEO Kumar Rajagopalan.
(With inputs from agencies)