Lok Sabha Question No. 5211 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-24
Subject: Common Service Centres
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Raksha Nikhil Khadse

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 5211

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 24.07.2019

## COMMON SERVICE CENTRES

## 5211     SHRIMATI  RAKSHA  NIKHIL  KHADSE:

Will  the  Minister  of  ELECTRONICS  &  INFORMATION  TECHNOLOGY  be  pleased  to state:-

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  review/survey  for  setting  up  and functioning of Common Service centre (CSC) project in the Gram Panchayats (GPs) across the country, if so, the details and the findings thereof;
- (b) the  total  number  of  villages  with  functional  CSC,  State/  UT-wise  along  with  the names of Gram Panchayats not covered; and;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government for early setting up of CSC to cater to the services effectively in the rural areas?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR  ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

- (a):   Yes, Sir.  Government has conducted following 2 (two) reviews/surveys for setting up and functioning  of  Common Services Centre  (CSC) project  in  the  Gram  Panchayats  (GPs) across the country are:
1. Center of Innovation in Public System (CIPS) in the Year 2014
2. A  mid-term  impact  assessment  on  CSC  scheme  -  Conducted  by  Indian  School  of Business (ISB), Hyderabad in the year 2018-19.

Details of findings are at Annexure.

- (b): There  are  2,53,134  Gram  Panchayats  (GPs)  in  the  country.  As  on  30 th June  2019, 2,66,041 CSCs are functioning in 2,40,592 GPs. The rest of the Gram Panchayats are yet to be covered.
- (c): Government of India has established a Special Purpose Vehicle (CSC-SPV).  CSCSPV has a mandate to manage and establish CSC centres across the country particularly in rural areas. Currently, 2,66,041 CSCs are functioning in Gram Panchayats. These CSCs are extending  Government-to-Citizens  (G2C)  and  Business-to-Citizens  (B2C)  services  to  the population in these Gram Panchayats.

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## Brief findings of various Surveys/Assessment Reports

## 1. Assessment  Study  of  Common  Services  Centres  in  Seven  States  by  CIPS,  in March 2014

An independent  assessment  study  was  undertaken  by  the  Centre  for  Innovations  in  Public Systems (CIPS), Hyderabad. The purpose of the study was to obtain meaningful pointers as regards (i) the nature and extent of the success of the CSC project in achieving its purpose and objectives; (ii) the administrative issues affecting the performance of the CSCs; and (iii) the sustainability of the CSCs in the long run. Study was conducted in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Tripura.

The main parameters of the study were: a) Profiling the CSCs across states; b) Analyzing the CSC  models  across  states;  c)  Identifying  the  factors  that  contribute  to  the  financial sustainability  of  a  VLE;  d)  Providing  recommendations  on  revitalizing  the  CSCs  that  are presently not viable; e) Suggesting futuristic models for convergence of services of various departments  at  CSCs;  f)  Arriving  at  recommendations  on  the  services  to  be  provided  by VLEs; g) Suggesting steps to make the CSCs more profitable and viable.

## 2. Mid-Term impact assessment on CSC scheme  -  Conducted  by  Indian School of Business, Hyderabad

-  Central and State Government to encourage and promote the growth of entrepreneurship, which  would  result in benefits and prospects of taking up entrepreneurship as a career option.
-  Broadband  internet  access  and  connectivity  to  the  last  mile  would  enable  greater success rates of both existing and aspiring VLEs who want to set up and lead CSC centres across the far-flung areas of the country.
-  To  provide  training  to  the  VLEs  about  business  strategies,  notably,  marketing, finance, operations, and investments in human capital that facilitate identification of market opportunities and development of sustainable businesses around such opportunities.
-  Greater investments in the digital literacy of the citizens would enable them to a wealth of information and thereby their awareness of various products and services that they can afford and avail.

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## Annexure