New Delhi | July 17, 2025 | By Skylink Times Tech Desk
In a major push toward digital empowerment, the Common Service Centre (CSC-SPV) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) announced free AI training for 10 lakh citizens, with priority access for Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs). The declaration was made during the grand Digital India@10 celebration held at Yashobhoomi Convention Centre, Dwarka, New Delhi.
The event was graced by Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State Shri Jitin Prasada, who lauded the role of CSCs and VLEs in transforming India’s digital landscape.
💡 Key Highlights
- Free Artificial Intelligence training for 10 lakh Indians, focusing on rural outreach.
- VLEs to get first preference, enabling last-mile tech empowerment.
- Over 5.5 lakh CSCs now operational across India, up from 83,000 in 2014.
- Emphasis on cybersecurity, capacity building, and AI-driven sectors like health, agri & education.
- Integration plans for IRCTC services and state e-services at CSCs.
🗣️ Voices of Leadership
Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union IT Minister, emphasized:
“Today, UPI has surpassed global platforms like Visa. It is CSC and our VLEs that made this grassroots digital revolution possible.”
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He shared inspiring stories of women VLEs like Manjulata from Mayurbhanj and Rose Angelina from Meghalaya, proving that rural India is driving digital innovation.
Minister of State Jitin Prasada added:
“With 74,000+ women VLEs, CSC is an engine of both inclusion and innovation. We must now embrace AI to uplift the underserved.”
📊 CSC’s Impact Over a Decade
Since its inception in 2009, CSC SPV has emerged as one of the world’s largest digital delivery platforms. Services include:
- Aadhaar, PAN, Passport
- Banking, insurance & pensions
- Telemedicine, education, Tele-Law
- eCommerce (Grameen eStore), agriculture, utility payments
📌 CSC Diwas: Celebrating Digital Champions
From July 1–15, CSCs across India marked “CSC Diwas” with local events, felicitating top-performing VLEs. On July 15, IT Secretaries from states met at Bharat Mandapam to chart the future of rural e-governance.