Lok Sabha Question No. 4339 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-26
Subject: Beneficiaries under PMGDISHA
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Dr. Rajkumar Sangwan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4339

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 26.03.2025

## BENEFICIARIES UNDER PMGDISHA

## †4339.  DR. RAJKUMAR SANGWAN:

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

- (a) the present status of Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) in Uttar Pradesh particularly in Baghpat district;
- (b) the number of beneficiaries from the rural areas of Uttar Pradesh including districts like Baghpat who have been imparted training thereunder during each of the last three years and the current year;
- (c)  the  measures  being  taken  to  overcome  the  challenges  being  faced  in  implementing  this  scheme effectively in remote areas of Uttar Pradesh;
- (d)  the  number of digital literacy  centres  established  under this  scheme in Uttar Pradesh and the plans to expand these centres; and
- (e) the steps taken by the Government to ensure that the digital skills acquired under this scheme empower rural citizens especially in enhancing their access to Government schemes and services?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (e):  The  Pradhan  Mantri  Gramin  Digital  Saksharta  Abhiyan  (PMGDISHA)  was  initiated  to  reach digital literacy in 6 crore rural households (one person per household) nationwide including the district of Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh. The training & certification under the scheme was officially concluded on March 31 st , 2024. The Scheme was implemented by CSC e-Governance Services India Limited through 4.39 Lakh Common Service Centres spread across 2.52 Lakh Gram Panchayats across the country. As against 6 crore, 6.39 crore individuals were trained across the country.

In  the  state  of  Uttar  Pradesh,  a  total  of  80,809  Training  Centres  were  approved  under  the  PMGDISHA Scheme.  A  total  of  1,63,14,369  candidates  were  enrolled  from  the  rural  households  and  1,45,48,273 candidates were trained under the Scheme. The district-wise training conducted in the State of Uttar Pradesh, including Baghpat district, in the last three years is provided in Annexure-I .

The  National  Sample  Survey  Office  (NSSO)  conducted  the  'Comprehensive  Annual  Modular  Survey' (CAMS) in its 79 th round (July, 2022 to June, 2023). As per the survey, among the persons aged 15-24 years, around 78.4 percent reported execution of skill of 'sending messages (e.g., e-mail, messaging service, SMS) with attached files (e.g., documents, pictures, video)'. Further, about 94.2 percent of rural households and about 97.1 percent of urban households possess telephone and/or mobile phone. From the said report, given the  significant  rise  in  smart-phone  usage,  internet  penetration,  and  digital  engagement  in  rural  areas,  the objectives of the scheme were successfully achieved.

Further, 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.

Annexure-I The district-wise training conducted in the State of Uttar Pradesh, including Baghpat district

## under the PMGDISHA Scheme, in the last three years

| Sl.   | District Name       | FY 2021-22   | FY 2021-22   | FY 2022-23   | FY 2022-23   | FY 2023-24   | FY 2023-24   |
|-------|---------------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
| No.   |                     | Enrolled     | Trained      | Enrolled     | Trained      | Enrolled     | Trained      |
| 1     | Agra                | 42282        | 40577        | 19391        | 18287        | 4580         | 4212         |
| 2     | Aligarh             | 8792         | 6841         | 5611         | 5046         | 1217         | 978          |
| 3     | Allahabad           | 86425        | 76758        | 32363        | 28742        | 9698         | 8669         |
| 4     | Ambedkar Nagar      | 40375        | 37724        | 14782        | 12791        | 1323         | 1274         |
| 5     | Amroha              | 16684        | 15527        | 6916         | 6518         | 418          | 320          |
| 6     | Auraiya             | 15671        | 14405        | 6489         | 5907         | 2394         | 2156         |
| 7     | Azamgarh            | 113436       | 107632       | 79181        | 75253        | 3814         | 3549         |
| 8     | Amethi              | 43523        | 40826        | 10571        | 9903         | 1226         | 1068         |
| 9     | Baghpat             | 10608        | 9371         | 2258         | 1969         | 130          | 116          |
| 10    | Bahraich            | 59386        | 55001        | 12681        | 11297        | 1088         | 931          |
| 11    | Ballia              | 71386        | 63018        | 76714        | 72755        | 7546         | 6784         |
| 12    | Balrampur           | 39615        | 34642        | 35021        | 30258        | 7675         | 7446         |
| 13    | Banda               | 50837        | 45701        | 13365        | 11509        | 3687         | 3340         |
| 14    | Barabanki           | 34056        | 31909        | 9892         | 8824         | 1351         | 1264         |
| 15    | Bareilly            | 40543        | 37700        | 15148        | 14515        | 1995         | 1829         |
| 16    | Basti               | 106589       | 101927       | 45161        | 43511        | 9434         | 9137         |
| 17    | Bhadohi             | 11112        | 10156        | 5690         | 5340         | 773          | 695          |
| 18    | Bijnor              | 27172        | 23591        | 22794        | 21364        | 5811         | 5618         |
| 19    | Budaun              | 21446        | 20456        | 5574         | 4868         | 495          | 481          |
| 20    | Bulandshahr         | 44929        | 42346        | 16988        | 15508        | 2250         | 1842         |
| 21    | Chandauli           | 33760        | 31614        | 17416        | 16354        | 2462         | 2266         |
| 22    | Chitrakoot          | 14016        | 12810        | 8183         | 7521         | 3243         | 2946         |
| 23    | Deoria              | 44946        | 41500        | 24657        | 23473        | 11302        | 10795        |
| 24    | Etah                | 16052        | 14174        | 4520         | 3720         | 624          | 542          |
| 25    | Etawah              | 33632        | 31220        | 8391         | 7834         | 1130         | 941          |
| 26    | Faizabad            | 37689        | 36065        | 39471        | 37463        | 8430         | 8108         |
| 27    | Farrukhabad         | 30031        | 27835        | 8181         | 7312         | 2149         | 1734         |
| 28    | Fatehpur            | 39828        | 35364        | 4101         | 3364         | 1268         | 1232         |
| 29    | Firozabad           | 30733        | 27949        | 7232         | 6323         | 1663         | 1570         |
| 30    | Gautam Buddha Nagar | 4783         | 4068         | 1069         | 826          | 136          | 86           |
| 31    | Ghaziabad           | 3899         | 3229         | 2207         | 2079         | 602          | 384          |
| 32    | Ghazipur            | 57580        | 51772        | 37764        | 35357        | 3462         | 3035         |
| 33    | Gonda               | 28650        | 26035        | 12937        | 11437        | 5274         | 5070         |
| 34    | Gorakhpur           | 36676        | 33063        | 19974        | 18134        | 4945         | 4683         |
| 35    | Hamirpur            | 16096        | 13639        | 6373         | 5698         | 2062         | 2030         |
| 36    | Hapur               | 10595        | 10315        | 6370         | 6302         | 2092         | 2066         |
| 37    | Hardoi              | 100255       | 90693        | 11896        | 10932        | 3551         | 3263         |
| 38    | Hathras             | 29998        | 28458        | 15613        | 14415        | 3433         | 3328         |
| 39    |                     |              |              |              |              |              |              |
|       | Jalaun              | 8974         | 7718         | 6436         | 5382         | 1147         | 1009 1871    |
| 40    | Jaunpur             | 92907        | 89431        | 25752        | 24739        | 1999         |              |
| 42    | Kannauj             | 11131        | 10982        | 4682         | 4516         | 1704         | 1688         |

| 43   | Kanpur Dehat      | 35851     | 33525     | 13435     | 11795     | 1715     | 1502     |
|------|-------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|----------|----------|
| 44   | Kanpur Nagar      | 28223     | 27015     | 33232     | 31414     | 2303     | 2129     |
| 45   | Kaushambi         | 36892     | 33300     | 17824     | 16404     | 3777     | 3616     |
| 46   | Kheri             | 11616     | 9913      | 7961      | 7176      | 1972     | 1936     |
| 47   | Kushi Nagar       | 43101     | 38941     | 29992     | 27776     | 13403    | 13088    |
| 48   | Kasganj           | 11839     | 10336     | 6698      | 6345      | 360      | 330      |
| 49   | Lalitpur          | 20876     | 18860     | 5888      | 5076      | 1862     | 1785     |
| 50   | Lucknow           | 11773     | 10863     | 4510      | 3746      | 265      | 158      |
| 51   | Maharajganj       | 30756     | 27346     | 18611     | 17476     | 11889    | 11536    |
| 52   | Mahoba            | 13591     | 12040     | 6865      | 6248      | 141      | 136      |
| 53   | Mainpuri          | 14129     | 12859     | 7363      | 6587      | 1592     | 1347     |
| 54   | Mathura           | 18826     | 17212     | 36404     | 35351     | 3523     | 3272     |
| 55   | Mau               | 37865     | 35458     | 29503     | 27364     | 7576     | 7392     |
| 56   | Meerut            | 20145     | 17876     | 17264     | 16043     | 2274     | 2069     |
| 57   | Mirzapur          | 60910     | 57222     | 31244     | 29888     | 565      | 481      |
| 58   | Moradabad         | 9834      | 9290      | 4922      | 4637      | 923      | 869      |
| 59   | Muzaffarnagar     | 7979      | 6698      | 2914      | 2369      | 640      | 610      |
| 60   | Pilibhit          | 16062     | 15255     | 5396      | 4846      | 1697     | 1611     |
| 61   | Pratapgarh        | 73942     | 68555     | 41899     | 39467     | 5117     | 4574     |
| 62   | Rae Bareli        | 47469     | 42246     | 19083     | 17984     | 8342     | 7808     |
| 63   | Rampur            | 23531     | 22464     | 10343     | 9754      | 2557     | 2497     |
| 64   | Saharanpur        | 35450     | 34425     | 31290     | 29889     | 5748     | 5463     |
| 65   | Sambhal           | 12993     | 12100     | 9410      | 8892      | 938      | 787      |
| 66   | Sant Kabeer Nagar | 36806     | 34978     | 27720     | 27071     | 5114     | 5059     |
| 67   | Shahjahanpur      | 31961     | 29698     | 13799     | 12287     | 1415     | 1348     |
| 68   | Shamli            | 7728      | 7683      | 1944      | 1845      | 527      | 252      |
| 69   | Shravasti         | 25272     | 22932     | 11749     | 10399     | 407      | 283      |
| 70   | Siddharth Nagar   | 38924     | 36977     | 28348     | 27048     | 10645    | 10122    |
| 71   | Sitapur           | 72841     | 68786     | 19823     | 18516     | 4966     | 4854     |
| 72   | Sonbhadra         | 30531     | 25973     | 36192     | 34851     | 7971     | 7654     |
| 73   | Sultanpur         | 80194     | 75481     | 18874     | 16559     | 926      | 791      |
| 74   | Unnao             | 64566     | 61346     | 41375     | 40539     | 1682     | 1542     |
| 75   | Varanasi          | 16230     | 14712     | 12946     | 12026     | 1131     | 939      |
|      | Total             | 26,19,825 |           |           | 12,47,488 | 2,45,839 | 2,30,418 |
|      |                   |           | 24,18,999 | 13,38,057 |           |          |          |

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