Lok Sabha Question No. 271 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-24
Subject: Promotion of Digital Literacy
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Shri Anurag Sharma, Shri Baijayant Panda

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 271

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 24.07.2024

## PROMOTION OF DIGITAL LITERACY

## 271. SHRI ANURAG SHARMA: SHRI BAIJAYANT PANDA:

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

- (a) whether  there  are  any  initiatives  to  promote  digital  literacy,  skills  and  awareness among the general population in rural areas particularly in Budelkhand in the State of Uttar Pradesh;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  of  these  initiatives  including  the  type  of  training  provided  and duration of the programmes;
- (c) the  criteria  for  selecting  participants  and  the  expected  outcomes  of  these  initiatives; and
- (d) the  manner  in  which  the  Ministry  of  Communication  is  collaborating  with  local educational  institutions,  NGOs  and  community  centers  to  equip  residents  with  the necessary skills to utilise digital technologies effectively?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d): To improve the digital literacy rate, especially in rural India, the Government of India has implemented a scheme titled 'Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)' to usher in digital literacy in rural India (one person per household). As on 31 st March 2024, around 7.35 crore candidates were enrolled and 6.39 crore were trained, out  of  which  4.78  crore  candidates  were  certified  under  the  PMGDISHA  Scheme.  The scheme has been officially concluded on 31.03.2024.

The  PMGDISHA Scheme is aimed at  empowering the citizens in  rural  areas  by  training them to operate computer or digital access devices (like tablets, smartphones, etc.), send and receive  e-mails,  browse  Internet,  access  Government  services,  search  for  information, undertake digital payment, etc. and hence enable them to use the Information Technology and related applications especially Digital Payments to actively participate in the process of nation building. Thus, the Scheme aimed at bridging the digital divide, specifically targeting the rural population in the age group of 14 to 60 years. The marginalized sections of society like  Scheduled  Castes  (SC)/Scheduled  Tribes  (ST),  Below  Poverty  Line  (BPL),  women, differently-abled persons, and minorities were covered under the said scheme. The duration of the training was 20 hours to be completed in minimum 10 and maximum 30 days.

Further, as per the guidelines, a household was defined as a unit comprising of Head of the family,  spouse,  children,  and  parents.  All  such  households  where  none  of  the  family member  was  digitally  literate  would  be  considered  as  eligible  household  under  the  said Scheme.

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.

The achievements of PMGDISHA Scheme in the districts of Bundelkhand region in Uttar Pradesh is as under:

| Sl. No.   | Districts   | Trained   | Certified   |
|-----------|-------------|-----------|-------------|
| 1.        | Chitrakoot  |           |             |
|           |             | 68,053    | 53,755      |
| 2.        | Banda       |           |             |
|           |             | 1,30,632  | 1,03,645    |
| 3.        | Jhansi      |           |             |
|           |             | 1,38,807  | 96,225      |
| 4.        | Jalaun      |           |             |
|           |             | 1,20,839  | 85,918      |
| 5.        | Hamirpur    |           |             |
|           |             | 61,074    | 44,596      |
| 6.        | Mahoba      |           |             |
|           |             | 81,065    | 60,542      |
| 7.        | Lalitpur    |           |             |
|           |             | 56,366    | 42,904      |

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