Lok Sabha Question No. 5297 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-28
Subject: National Digital Literacy Mission
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: PARVESH SAHIB SINGH, E. T. MOHAMMED BASHEER

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (MeitY)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 5297

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 28.03.2018

## NATIONAL DIGITAL LITERACY MISSION

## 5297.  SHRI PARVESH SAHIB SINGH: SHRI E.T.MOHAMMED BASHEER:

Will the Minister of Electronics and Information Technology be pleased to state:

- (a) the  number  of  gram  panchayats  connected  with  WiFi/Hotspot  enabled  broadband connection;
- (b) the number of persons per family trained in digital literacy skills and the number that will be completed by 2020;
- (c) the number of persons including Anganwadi and ASHA workers and authorized dealers who received IT training;
- (d) the status of Pradhan Mantri  Digital Saksharta Abhiyan;
- (e) whether the Government has reviewed the progress of implementing the scheme namely National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM) or Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (DISHA); and
- (f) the  target  achieved  for  providing  digital  literacy  up  to  December,  2017  and  the  steps Government proposes to take to expedite the process?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI K J ALPHONS)

- (a):      Department  of  Telecommunication,  M/o  Communications  has  taken  the  following initiatives to provide WiFi / broadband connection to the gram panchayats:-
- I). The BharatNet project is aimed at providing broadband connectivity to all 2.5 lakh Gram  Panchayats  in  the  country  by  31.3.2019.  Under  this  project,  the  last  mile connectivity is envisaged by providing WiFi (2 Access Points per Grampanchayat) or any other suitable broadband technology, at all the Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the country. Work of Phase-I for 1,00,000 GPs has been completed in December 2017. As  on  18.03.2018,  by  laying  2,68,195  km  Optical  Fibre  Cable  (OFC),  a  total  of 1,13,739 Gram Panchayats have been connected on OFC, out of which 1,04,813 GPs have been made Service Ready for providing broadband connectivity.
- II). Under Universal Service Obligation Fund's (USOF) scheme, WiFi Choupals at 5,000 Gram  Panchayats  are  envisaged  through  CSC  e-Governance  Services  India  Ltd. (CSC-SPV) using BharatNet infrastructure.  WiFi Choupals have been installed in 5,145  Gram  Panchayats  out  of  which  service  delivery  has  commenced  in  1833 Grampanchayats. Further under USOF's scheme for setting up public WiFi hotspots at  BSNL's  25,000  telephone  exchanges  in  rural  areas,  WiFi  hotspots  have  been installed and service delivery has commenced at 2429 exchanges.
- III). BSNL has provided WiFi at 500 Gram Panchayats in Maharashtra and 220 Gram Panchayats  in  Karnataka  under  sponsorship  by  respective  state  government.  Also BSNL has provided WiFi at 11 villages / Gram Panchayats through sponsorship by Hon'ble MPs & MLAs.

(b) to (f):   Digital Literacy schemes implemented by Government of India and their status are as follows:-

- I). The Ministry of Electronics &  Information  Technology (MeitY), has  implemented two  schemes  namely  'National  Digital  Literacy  Mission'  (NDLM)  and  'Digital Saksharta Abhiyan' (DISHA) during the year 2014 to 2016, with a total cumulative target  of  providing  digital  literacy  to  52.5  Lakh  beneficiaries(one  person  per household). Both the NDLM and DISHA schemes were implemented concurrently. Under the NDLM and DISHA schemes, a total of 85.33 lakh candidates were trained out of which 53.67 lakh candidates were duly certified.
- II). Based  on  the  successful  implementation  of  NDLM  and  DISHA  Schemes,  the Government has initiated a scheme titled 'Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan' (PMGDISHA) in February 2017. The scheme aims at ushering in digital literacy  in  rural  India  by  covering  6  crore  rural  households  (one  person  per household) by 31.03.2019. As on 23-03-2018, more than 1.10 crore candidates have been trained under PMGDISHA, out of which 55.57 lakh candidates have been duly certified.
- III). Under DISHA Scheme, a special focus was made to also include Accredited Social Health  Activist  (ASHA),  Anganwadi  workers  and  Authorised  Ration  Dealers  for imparting digital literacy. A  total of 2,43,151 such candidates belonging to Anganwadi workers (1,75,556), ASHA(55,655) and Authorized Ration Dealers(11,940) were trained.
- IV). As on December 2017, a total of 85.33 lakh candidates under NDLM and DISHA schemes  and  1.02  crore  candidates  under  PMGDISHA  were  trained.  In  order  to achieve  the  target  under  PMGDISHA,  various  efforts  have  been  initiated  which include State/district/block level workshops, awareness campaigns through Print and Electronic  Media,  setting  up  of  a  Toll-free  Technical  Support  Centre,  awareness through periodic newsletter and magazines, Posters, audio/video jingle, etc.

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