(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 e-Services 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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