Firdous Hassan
Srinagar: Only 10 percent of the population in Jammu and Kashmir downloaded the Aarogya Setu app last year, a number which reflects the difficulty people must have faced while trying to download the application amid suspension of high-speed internet for the entire 2020.
Developed by the National Informatics Centre under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Aarogya Setu App is a digital service for contact tracing, syndromic mapping, and self-assessment. Launched in April last year, the app reached more than 100 million installs in the initial 40 days.
As per data available with The Kashmir Monitor, 12,67,380 people in Jammu and Kashmir, which has a population of 1.25 crore as per 2011 census, downloaded the app. Union territory ranks at 15th in the highest downloads across India.
Figures reveal that the app has evoked a huge response from the people in Uttar Pradesh, where 23,70,2,046 mobile phone users downloaded the app. Maharashtra, one of the most affected states, stood second in maximum app downloads.
As many as 19,36,7,364 mobile phone users in the state downloaded the app to keep a track of their health. In Delhi, 85, 80,861 app downloads have been recorded by the National Informatics Centre.
Lakshadweep, as per the figures has fared poorly with only 1981 mobile phone users downloading the digital application.
An official said the app evoked a huge response in Jammu compared to the valley. “Initially, people showed reluctance in downloading the app but later it picked the pace,” he said.
The official said that the app is based on Global Positioning System (GPS) and Bluetooth technologies. He said it is available in 11 languages including 10 regional languages and English.
He said the maximum downloads were seen after the government made it mandatory for government officials in May last year. “Thereafter, the resuming of businesses, gyms, and religious places followed and the app was widely responded to by the people,” the official said.
In Jammu and Kashmir, 127640 people have tested Covid-19 positive since last year out of whom 124746 have recovered. As many as 1974 patients died due to the diseases for the last one year.
