Lok Sabha Question No. 2411 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-15
Subject: Lack of Digital Accessibility and Digital Literacy
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: V. Kalanidhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2411

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 15.03.2023

## LACK OF DIGITAL  ACCESSIBILITY  AND DIGITAL LITERACY

## 2411. DR. KALANIDHI VEERASWAMY:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  prevailing  lack  of  digital  accessibility  and digital  literacy  among  the  citizens  despite  the  Government's  robust  transformation  to digital governance and digital economy;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  enhance  digital infrastructure to all sections of the population;
- (c) the details of the steps taken by the Government to improve digital literacy among the urban and rural poor separately; and
- (d) the details of the fund allocated to enhance digital inclusion, especially in the regions with less literacy rate and high unemployment rate, State/UT-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR)

(a)  and  (b):  Government  has  launched  the  Digital  India  programme  with  the  vision  of transforming India into a digitally empowered society and a knowledge-based economy, by ensuring  digital  access,  digital  inclusion,  digital  empowerment  and  bridging  the  digital divide. The programme is centred on three key vision areas, namely digital infrastructure as a core utility to every citizen, governance and services on demand, and digital empowerment of citizens.  The  overall  goal  is  to  ensure  that  digital  technologies  improve  the  life  of  every citizen, expand India's digital economy, and creating investment and employment opportunities and create digital technological capabilities in India.

Some  of  the  key  initiatives  taken  by  the  Government  to  make  information  technology accessible to all sections of the population are as follows:

- (i) Aadhaar: Aadhaar provides 12 digit biometric and demographic based identity that is  unique, lifelong, online and authenticable. Further to give statutory backing to Aadhaar  'The  Aadhaar  (Targeted  Delivery  of  Financial  and  Other  Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016' was notified on 26th March 2016. Over 136.4 crore residents have been enrolled.
- (ii) Common  Services  Centres  (CSCs):  The  Common  Services  Centres  are  digital service  delivery  centres.  CSCs  are  offering  government  and  business  services  in rural areas through Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs).  So far, 5.35 lakh CSCs are functional, out of which 4.24 lakh CSCs are functional at the Gram Panchayat level.
- (iii) Digital Village Pilot Project: 700 Gram Panchayats/villages with at least one Gram Panchayat/village  per  district  per  State/UT  are  being  covered  under  the  project. The digital services being offered are Digital Health Services, Education Services, Financial Services, Skill Development and Solar panel powered street lights.
- (iv) e-District  Mission  Mode  Project  (MMP):e-District  is  a  Mission  Mode  Project (MMP) that aims at electronic delivery of identified high  volume  citizen  centric

services  at  the  district  or  sub-district  level.  Presently  4,671  e-services  have  been launched in 713 districts across India.

- (v) Internet  Connectivity:  India  is  the  largest  democratic  country  with  more  than  85 crore Internet Subscribers.

BharatNet is being implemented by Department of Telecommunication in a phased manner  to  connect  about  6  lakh  inhabited  villages  including  Gram  Panchayats (GPs) with broadband facility in the country. As on date, total 1,91,751 GPs have been made Service Ready under the BharatNet project in the country.

- (vi) Apart from the above, many other initiatives, such as Unified Mobile Application for  New-age  Governance  (UMANG),  DigiLocker,  e-Hospital,  MyGov  and  Meri Pehchaan, etc. also enable access to various e-services using information technology.

Further, the status of digital literacy among the citizens and steps taken by the Government to improve the same may be seen at replies to part (c) & (d) of the question.

(c) and (d): To enhance digital adoption, Government is focusing on providing digital literacy to  the  citizens  across  the  country.  The  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  improve  digital literacy among the urban and rural areas of the country given below:

- i. During  the  years  2014  to  2016,  Government  of  India  had  implemented  two Schemes  on  providing  digital  literacy  to  the  masses  namely  'National  Digital Literacy  Mission  (NDLM)'  and  'Digital  Saksharta  Abhiyan  (DISHA)'  with  a cumulative target of 52.50 lakh persons (one person from every eligible household) across the country. A total fund of Rs. 351. 73 crore was utilized under these schemes.

Under these two schemes, a total of 53.67 lakh beneficiaries were trained, out of which  around  42%  candidates  were  from  rural  India.  Both  schemes  have  been closed now.

- ii. In the year 2017, Government approved a Scheme titled ''Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)'' to usher in digital literacy in rural India with a target to cover 6 crore rural households (one person per household) across the  country.  As  of  now,  an  amount  of  Rs.  1738  Crore  has  been  released  for implementation of the Scheme. So far, a total of more than 6.78 crore candidates have  been  enrolled  and  5.82  crore  have  been  trained,  out  of  which  4.33  crore candidates have been duly certified under the Scheme.

The above 3 schemes were/are funded as  Central Sector Schemes, hence funds were/are not sanctioned and allocated to States/UTs.

********