Digital India Expands: Digital Inclusion in SC/ST Areas Strengthened Through CSCs, PMGDISHA and BharatNet

Digital India Expands: Digital Inclusion in SC/ST Areas Strengthened Through CSCs, PMGDISHA and BharatNet

Government of India launched a project to set up Common Services Centres (CSCs) to provide citizen centric services. Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) are empowered to set up CSCs.

As on date, a total of 2.92 Lakh CSCs have been set-up in the Scheduled Caste (SC) / Scheduled Tribe (ST) dominated areas. Further, approximately 10% CSCs in these SC/ST dominated areas are being managed by women.

Government launched Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) in 2017 to ensure digital literacy. Against the target to train 6 Cr individuals, a total of 6.39 crore individuals were trained across the country.

It was ensured that marginalized sections of society such as Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) were specifically covered under the scheme. More than 1.17 Cr individuals belonging to ST community, more than 56 Lakh people belonging to ST community and more than 2.55 Cr individuals belonging to OBC community were trained.

Under Skill India Programme, more than 2.29 Lakh individuals belonging to OBC community candidates, more than 89 thousand SC candidates and more than 38 thousand ST candidates have been trained.

Under BharatNet program, more than 2.14 Lakh gram panchayat have been made service ready with hi-speed broadband. Under various schemes, 4G connectivity is being expanded to 40 thousand (approx.) villages.

This information was submitted by Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Jitin Prasada, in the Lok Sabha today.