Lok Sabha Question No. 1196 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-09
Subject: Scheme for Information Technology
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Debasree Chaudhuri

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1196

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 09.02.2022

## SCHEME FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## 1196. MS. DEBASREE CHAUDHURI:

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

- (a) the salient features of the schemes being implemented by the Government to make Information Technology more accessible in the country, particularly in the State of West Bengal;
- (b) whether the Government is planning to make the Information Technology (IT) accessible to the people residing in rural, hilly and remote areas; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof including the State of West Bengal?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (c):  The  Ministry  of  Electronics  and  Information  Technology  (MeitY),  Government  of India launched the 'Digital India' programme with the vision to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge-based economy by ensuring digital access, digital inclusion, digital empowerment and bridging the digital divide. In summary, our mission is to ensure that the digital technologies improve the life of every citizen; expand India's digital economy, create employment and global digital technological capabilities in the country.

Digital  India  is  an  umbrella  programme  that  covers  multiple  projects  of  various  Central Ministries/Departments  and  States/UTs.  The  Digital  India  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.  Digital  India  has  dramatically reduced distance between Government and citizens significantly. Further, Digital India has also helped  in  delivery  of  substantial  services  directly  to  the  beneficiary  in  a  transparent  and corruption free manner.

Some of the key initiatives taken by the Government to make Information Technology accessible to the people residing in rural, hilly and remote areas of the country including West Bengal are as follows:

-  Common Services Centre (CSC): The Common Services Centres project aims to set-up at least one CSC at 2.50 lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) across the country, for delivery of various Government  to  Citizen  (G2C)  and  other  citizen  centric  e-Services.  It  is  a  self-sustainable entrepreneurship  model  which  is  run  by  Village  level  Entrepreneurs  (VLEs).  As  on December, 2021, the number of functional CSCs (including urban & rural areas) across the

Country is 4,46,789 CSCs, out of which, 3,48,391 CSCs are functional at Gram Panchayat level.

-  Digital Village: MeitY has initiated the 'Digital Village Pilot Project' in October, 2018. 700 Gram  Panchayats  (GPs)/Village  with  atleast  one  Gram  Panchayat/Village  per  District  per State/UT  are  being  covered  under  the  project.  The  digital  services  being  offered  under  the project are Health Services (Tele-Health & Tele-Veterinary consultation), Education Service, Financial  Services  (Financial  Inclusion  Awareness  Programme),  Skill  Development,  Solar panel  powered  street  lights  including  Government  to  Citizens  Services  (G2C),  Business  to Citizen (B2C) Services.
-  e-District Mission Mode Project (MMP): e-District project has been implemented at district and  sub-district  levels  of  all  States/UTs,  benefitting  all  citizens  by  delivering  various  eServices such as Certificates (Birth, Caste, Death, Income and Local Resident), Pension (Old Age, Disability and Widow), Electoral, Consumer Court, Revenue Court, Land Record and services  of  various  departments  such  as  Commercial  Tax,  Agriculture,  Labour,  etc.  Total 3,916 e-District services have been launched in 709 districts across 28 States/ 6 UTs.
-  Pradhan MantriGramin Digital SakshartaAbhiyan (PMGDISHA): MeitY is implementing a scheme namely 'Pradhan MantriGramin Digital SakshartaAbhiyan (PMGDISHA)' to usher in digital literacy in rural India by covering 6 Crore rural households (one person per household). The scheme is applicable to all rural areas of the country. So far, training has been imparted to around 4.68 crore candidates and out of this, more than 3.48 crore candidates have been certified.
-  BharatNet: BharatNet  is  an  ambitious  initiative  to  trigger  a  broadband  revolution  in  rural areas. This project is being implemented by Department of Telecommunications. BharatNet aims to connect all the 2,50,000 the Gram Panchayats (GPs) and villages of the country. As on 31.12.2021, a total number of 1,69,244 Gram Panchayats have been made service ready with broadband infrastructure.

Status of key initiatives to make Information Technology accessible to the people living in the state of West Bengal are as follows:

-  Common Services Centre (CSC): 20,064 CSCs are functional, out of them, 17,976 CSCs are functional at GP level.
-  Digital Village: 22 villages from West Bengal have been covered under the pilot project for Digital Village implementation.
-  e-District Mission Mode Project (MMP): 154 e-District services have been launched in all 23 districts of West Bengal.
-  Pradhan  MantriGramin  Digital  SakshartaAbhiyaan  (PMGDISHA): Training  has  been imparted to 15,54,955 candidates and out of this 12,08,463 candidates have been certified.
-  BharatNet: A  total  number  of  2547  Gram  Panchayats  have  been  made  service  ready  with broadband infrastructure.

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