AAROGYA SETU: INDIA'S GREATEST INNOVATION

The topic I have choosen is about an app that has been one of the greatest innovations our country has ever seen. During the beginning of 2020, the world was gripped in the hands of Covid-19. Everyone around the world was talking about the coronavirus, and many people also had it in their lungs. Without precedent for many years, a completely worldwide emergency was introduced. Nation-to-nation cooperation at an unprecedented level was required for an international response. Beyond that, in order to contain the virus within its borders, each nation required a unique response. Similar to many other nations, India launched a multi-pronged response that included vaccine research, social distancing measures, and a complex technological program. We will focus on the technological response, despite the fact that each had its own part to play in the fight against Covid-19. Specifically, a portion of it in particular. But the most iconic of all was the invention of “Aarogya Setu App”. Aarogya Setu is a mobile application developed by the Government of India to help citizens in the fight against COVID-19. The app uses Bluetooth and GPS technology to track the location of a user and identify if they have come into contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. The main reason for the selection of this topic is the importance of this app. This app was developed to target the patients of COVID-19 in a particular locality. This according to me has been one of the major innovations in 2020 considering the growth of COVID-19. The government made sure to launch such measures to fight the battle with great soldiers. The Government of India launched Aarogya Setu, a mobile application, in April 2020 to aid in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The Aarogya Setu application was developed by the National Informatics Centre, the Information Technology Ministry, and a private partnership, according to Abhishek Singh, CEO of MyGov, and Digital India Corporation. Cost and manpower were of little concern given the work's importance. In just a few weeks, the Indian Government, particularly the Department of Health and the National Informatics Center, were able to quickly release the app's initial build. By July 2020, a complete release for Android and Apple phones was available. The app alerts users if they come into contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 by using Bluetooth and GPS technology to track their location and contact history. In addition, it gives users self-assessment tools and information about COVID-19 to help them figure out if they are at risk of infection. When it went live on April 2, 2020, Aarogya Setu became the app with the fastest growth rate in the world, with 50 million downloads in just 13 days. The application was made obligatory for government and confidential area representatives and for those going on open vehicle. However, the app was criticized for violating users' privacy because it required them to disclose personal information and location data to the government. The government issued a set of guidelines to address these concerns in May 2020, which included making the app open-source and restricting data collection. Despite the criticism, the government continues to support the use of Aarogya Setu, which has helped to control the spread of COVID-19 in India. Here are some of the key features of the Aarogya Setu app: 1. COVID-19 tracking: Aarogya Setu uses Bluetooth and GPS technology to track and record a user's movements. This helps to determine if they have come into contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. 2. Self-assessment: The app also allows users to perform a self-assessment of their health status by answering a few simple questions. Based on their responses, the app provides guidance on whether they should get tested for COVID-19. 3. COVID-19 resources: Aarogya Setu provides users with information on the nearest COVID-19 testing centers, hospitals, and other healthcare resources. 4. E-pass: The app also has an e-pass feature that allows users to apply for an electronic pass to travel during lockdown or restricted movements. 5. COVID-19 updates: Aarogya Setu provides users with regular updates on the number of COVID-19 cases in their area, as well as information on the latest government guidelines related to COVID-19. 6. Privacy settings: The app now allows users to delete their data from the app server, which was a major concern for users in the past. It also has new privacy settings that allow users to choose which data they want to share with the app. 7. Multiple languages: Aarogya Setu is available in several Indian languages, including Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, and Oriya, to ensure it reaches a wider audience. CONCLUSION AND PERSONAL ANALYSIS During writing of the case study I was personally intrigued by the kind of innovation this app launched. And specially at the time of covid when everything was turning upside down for the world there were some Indian App makers and scientists who were able to develop something at such a fast pace for the welfare of the society. People all over the country were able to use this app very conveniently. And no matter how much criticism this app suffered it was responsible for reporting the patients at the right time which also helped the doctors save the lives of thousands of people. In the end I would like to conclude by saying that Quantifying the number of lives saved by Aarogya Setu is impossible. It's difficult to accept speculation about the number of lives saved in a pandemic that has already killed 500,000 Indians. However, we must acknowledge that the death toll probably would have been higher without our government's technological response. Indian lives would have been lost even with a slower response or a less effective application.Hence “Aarogya Setu” App has been one of the most effective innovations in our country