GOI has launched a massive program to reduce Urban -rural divide through a technology mission, building better roads and setting up digital infrastructure. As part of these programs, it has been decided to set up 700 digital villages by the end of the year, says Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology. Rural people will be empowered to have access to education, health as well as purchase of groceries, medicines and other daily necessities with the help of new technology. The local Common Service Centre (CSC) will provide broadband connectivity via optic fibre cables to 100 homes. Besides, there will be a Wi-Fi choupal to help people access to internet for paying INR 15 only .Apart from ensuring internet connectivity, the CSC will function as banking correspondents to help villagers withdraw money from the Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. It will pave way for meeting doctors using the telemedicine facility and get education through the digital literacy scheme. A sanitary napkin making unit has been established along with LED and candle making facilities to create employment opportunities. People can also buy Patanjali products at the centre. Electronics and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said “CSCs are working in 180,000 gram Panchayats and very soon it will reach 2.5 lakh gram Panchayats by the year end.”Currently, 2.91 CSCs operate in the country. Positioned as strategic cornerstones of the Digital India programme, the CSC model has adopted six villages on pilot basis. “About 700 digital villages will be set up by the year-end,” Prasad said. DigiGaon or Digital Village has been conceptualised as a connected village where citizens can avail various e-services of the central government, state governments and private players in even remote villages. These DigiGaons are projected to be change agents, promoting rural entrepreneurship and building rural capacities and livelihoods through community participation and collective action. The digital villages have been equipped with solar lighting facility in their community centre, LED assembly unit, sanitary napkin unit with active participation of Asha and Anganwadi workers and Wi-Fi connectivity will bring rural people and urbanities closer, says Prasad.
