Lok Sabha Question No. 362 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-27
Subject: Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Shri Vishaldada Prakashbapu Patil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 362

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 27.11.2024

## PRADHAN MANTRI GRAMIN DIGITAL SAKSHARTA ABHIYAN

## 362. SHRI VISHALDADA PRAKASHBAPU PATIL:

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

- (a) the  total  funds  sanctioned,  allocated  and  spent  on  Pradhan  Mantri  Gramin  Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) for financial years 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24;
- (b) the  reasons  for  reduced  and/or  discontinued  allocation  to  PMGDISHA  despite  the uptick in digitalisation due to several Central/ State schemes during pandemic;
- (c) the  measures  taken  and  standards  fixed  to  ensure  the  quality  of  training  under PMGDISHA;
- (d) whether  any  impact  evaluations  have  been  conducted  on  the  said  abhiyan,  if  so,  the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (e) the details on a village-wise distribution of the number of PMGDISHA centres currently operational all over the country;
- (f) the details of classes held since the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and whether there are any protocols in place to resume the regular training at these centres; and
- (g) the details of the employment opportunities guaranteed to the certified beneficiaries of this abhiyan?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

(a)  to  (g):      The  Pradhan  Mantri  Gramin  Digital  Saksharta  Abhiyan  (PMGDISHA)  was launched by MeitY Government of India to promote digital literacy in rural India. The aim was to reach 6 crore rural households (one person per household) nationwide.

The scheme continued during the COVID-19 pandemic in a graded fashion while adhering to the relaxation provided by the guidelines/directives issued by the respective Central/State/District  Administration.  The  quality  of  training  under  PMGDISHA  scheme were kept intact with the objectives across all training centres / CSC through the following measures:

-  Training provided with standardized multimedia  content  in  22  Languages accessible  in  multimodal  format  for  all  candidates  across  all  training  centres  / CSCs;
-  Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in-line with the Covid-19 protocols were created and shared with all Training Centres for training and examination;
-  Virtual  sessions  and  workshops  were  conducted  with  the  Training  Centres  to motivate them to re-start their activities;
-  Refresher  trainings  were  provided  to  registered/  trained  candidates,  who  were unable to appear for training and/or certification;
-  A Chatbot was created with basic information on PMGDISHA portal which was made available in both in Hindi and English languages;
-  Training  Centres  were  encouraged  to  join  groups  on  popular  social  media platforms and share relevant training material through these groups;
-  PMGDISHA content was uploaded on the DigiShala channel so that candidates could  refer  to  these  on  their  own  and  become  ready  for  registration  and assessment after minor training/revision.

The  total  funds  utilised  for  the  scheme  during  the  financial  years  2021-22,  2022-23,  and 2023-24 were Rs. 300.00 crore, Rs. 250.00 crore, and Rs. 165.92 crore, respectively.

The impact analysis of the PMGDISHA scheme was carried out by three agencies namely IIT Delhi, Council for Social Development (CSD) and Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA).  The  latest  impact  assessment  study  of  the  PMGDISHA  scheme  was  conducted  by IIPA. The gist of the evaluation report is that the PMGDISHA is a unique scheme due to its large  scale  and  the  use  of  remotely  proctored  examinations.  The  training  provided  under PMGDISHA has had a significant impact on the adoption of Information & Communication Technology  (ICT)  and  other  forms  of  digital  media.  It  has  benefited  its  participants  by enabling  their  access  to  a  wide  range  of  information  and  services  for  various  purposes, helping to reduce the overall digital divide in the country. The key findings of the report are as follows:

-  18%  fund  used  in  Special  Component  Plan  for  Scheduled  Castes  (SCSP), 12% for Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) and 11% for North-Eastern Region (NER) have made sure the empowerment of weaker sections.
-  Women participation is very large and their inclusion at the rural level will open up the path for the learning of the whole family.
-  More  than  55%  of  respondents  cited  a  direct  benefit  to  their  livelihoods  after PMGDISHA training.
-  Almost 50% respondents stated that PMGDISHA helped them get a better Job.

Also,  the  National  Sample  Survey  Office  (NSSO)  conducted  the  'Comprehensive  Annual Modular Survey' (CAMS) in its 79th round (July, 2022 to June, 2023) and the data in their report  indicated  a  significant  positive  trend  in  digital  literacy  across  both  rural  and  urban areas of India. As against 6 crore, 6.39 crore individuals were trained across the country as on March 31, 2024, the scheme has ended. From the above reports and given the significant rise in  smartphone  usage,  internet  penetration,  and  digital  engagement  in  rural  areas,  the objectives of the scheme have been successfully achieved.

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