Lok Sabha Question No. 2525 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-16
Subject: Digital India Features
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Jyotsna Charandas Mahant

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2525

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 16.03.2022

## DIGITAL INDIA FEATURES

## 2525. SHRIMATI JYOTSNA CHARANDAS MAHANT:

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

- (a) the salient features of the Digital India Programme;
- (b) the State-wise details of the funds sanctioned, allocated and utilized under the Digital India Programme including the State of Chhattisgarh during the last three years;
- (c) the details of number of States covered under the above said programme and the number of districts  in  the  State  of  Chhattisgarh  which  have  been  included  under  the  above  said programme; and
- (d) the details of the steps taken/being taken to cover the remote villages of Chhattisgarh State under the above said programme?

## ANSWER

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

(a):  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 investment  &  employment  opportunities  and  global  digital  technological  capabilities  in  the country.

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.

(b):Digital  India  is  an  umbrella  programme  that  covers  multiple  projects  of  various  Central Ministries/Departments  &  States/UTs.  Each  project  has  its  own  budgetary  requirement  and accordingly  project-plan  has  been  charted  out  by  the  implementing  Ministry/departments  and budget  details  are  being  maintained  by  concerned  Ministries/Departments  &  States/UTs. However, budget allocated and utilised by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on various schemes under Digital India programme during the last three years is as follows:

| Financial Year   |   Budget allocated (Rs. in Cr.) |   Actual Expenditure (Rs. in Cr.) |
|------------------|---------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
| 2018-19          |                         3352.81 |                           3328.57 |
| 2019-20          |                         3212.52 |                           3191.09 |
| 2020-21          |                         3033.99 |                           3030.54 |

(c)  and  (d):Digital  India  is  an  umbrella  programme  that  covers  multiple  projects  of  various Central Ministries/Departments & States/UTs. All States/UTs have already been covered under Digital  India  programme  including  state  of  Chhattisgarh.  Several  schemes/projects  are  being implemented under Digital India programme for providing e-services to all the citizens across the  state  of  Chhattisgarh.  Some  of  the  key  initiatives  taken  by  the  Government  to  make Information Technology accessible to the people living in remote villages of Chhattisgarh are as follows:

-  Common Services Centre (CSC): MeitY has initiated a project namely 'Common Services Centre (CSC) 2.0' in August, 2015 under Digital India Programme, which envisages setting up  of  at  least  one  CSC  at  Gram  Panchayat  (GP)  to  cover  all  the  2.5  lakh  GPs  across  the country. Common  Services Centres are internet enabled centres operated by local entrepreneur,  called  Village  Level  Entrepreneurs  (VLEs)  and  provide  eServices  to  rural citizens. Over 400 digital services are being offered by these CSCs. 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.  In the state of Chhattisgarh,  17,441  CSCs  are  functional,  out  of  them,  13,838  CSCs  are  functional  at  GP level.
-  Digital Village: MeitY has also 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 are Digital Health Services (Tele-Health & Tele-Veterinary consultation), Education Service, Financial Services,  Skill  Development,  Solar  panel  powered  street  lights  including  Government  to Citizens Services (G2C), Business to Citizen (B2C) Services. 49 villages from Chhattisgarh have been covered under the pilot project for Digital Village implementation.
-  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, Employment Training  &  Skill  Development  etc.  e-District  services  have  been  launched  in  709  districts across 28 States/ 6 UTs. 129 e-services have been launched in all 28 districts of Chhattisgarh.
-  Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyaan  (PMGDISHA): MeitY is implementing a scheme  namely  'Pradhan  Mantri Gramin  Digital Saksharta  Abhiyan (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 4.81+ crore candidates and out of this more than 3.56+ crore candidates  have  been  certified.  In  the  state  of  Chhattisgarh,  training  has  been  imparted  to 21,55,130 candidates and out of this 16,29,736 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  date,  a  total  number  of  1,75,827  Gram  Panchayats  have  been  made  service  ready  with broadband infrastructure.

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