Union Minister of Electronics & Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the free AI training for 10 lakh individuals, with priority for all VLEs would be provided. The announcement came during the celebration held by Common Service Centre e-Governance Services India Limited (CSC SPV), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to celebrate 10 Years of Digital India. The Minister also urged all VLEs to start offering IRCTC service.
In his address, the Minister said, ‘VLEs across the country have set a remarkable example by delivering the benefits of Digital India to every citizen. When the world questioned how a tea seller or a vegetable vendor could use digital payments, today that dream has come true—UPI payments have surpassed Visa transactions. This is the strength of 1.4 billion Indians.’
He highlighted that CSC has reached nearly 90% of villages in the country and said, ‘If there is any medium capable of reaching every village, it is CSC.’
Minister of State for Commerce & Industry and Electronics & Information Technology, Jitin Prasada, underscored the role of CSCs in bridging the digital divide. The resolve to extend the benefits of Digital India to the last mile of society is being carried forward with the help of our VLE brothers and sisters. Ten years ago, when we began the Digital India initiative, the Hon’ble Prime Minister had the vision to lay the foundation for a developed India, he said.
He shared that in 2014, there were only 83,000 CSC centres, whereas today, their number has grown to nearly 5.50 lakh. He emphasized the integration of Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS) with CSCs and acknowledged over 74,000 women VLEs who are setting new benchmarks in empowerment.
We are now in the era of Artificial Intelligence, and it is advancing rapidly. With time, we must use new technologies to bring positive change in people’s lives and empower them. The need to strengthen awareness, cybersecurity, and capacity building,especially in agriculture, health, and education sectors. He recommended allowing VLEs to deliver Update Client Lite and state government services to enhance their income, he added.
Sanjay Rakesh, Managing Director & CEO, CSC SPV, stated ‘With CSC, there is no need to visit cities to avail government services. CSC centres are providing G2C and B2B services at doorsteps in remote areas of the country, enabling digital empowerment. In the past 10 years, CSC has emerged as a model of Digital India that represents a new paradigm of inclusion and empowerment.’
Digital India and CSC: A Decade of Transformation
Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015, the Digital India program aimed to make technology accessible to every Indian. Over the decade (2015–2025), the initiative has bridged the digital divide and transformed governance, financial inclusion, and internet accessibility, making India the world’s third-largest digital economy.
CSC SPV, established in 2009 under MeitY, has emerged as one of the world’s largest digital service delivery ecosystems, with over 5.5 lakh operational centres. Each CSC is operated by a Village Level Entrepreneur (VLE), a local changemaker who provides citizen-centric services including Aadhaar enrollment and updates, PAN card and passport services, Banking and insurance, Telemedicine and education services, Skill development and legal aid through Tele-Law and Agriculture services, Grameen eStore (B2B), utility bill payments, and more.
