New Delhi, 16 July 2025: As part of the grand celebrations,India announces free AI training, marking 10 years of the Digital India initiative, the Common Service Centre (CSC) e-Governance Services India Limited (CSC SPV) held a national event at Yashobhoomi Convention Centre, Dwarka. The milestone event highlighted the decade-long journey of digital empowerment in India and featured major announcements aimed at further democratizing access to digital technologies.
10 Lakh Citizens to Get Free AI Training, Priority to VLEs
Union Minister for Electronics & IT, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, in his keynote address, announced free Artificial Intelligence training for 10 lakh individuals, with Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) receiving top priority.
“VLEs have become the torchbearers of the Digital India movement. From UPI adoption to digital governance, they’ve proved the skeptics wrong. Today, a tea seller or vegetable vendor can seamlessly make digital payments,” Shri Vaishnaw said.
He further urged VLEs to offer IRCTC services through CSCs and called for integration of state-level IT agencies with CSC-SPV, aiming for a unified digital service ecosystem.
Massive CSC Growth: From 83,000 to 5.5 Lakh in 10 Years
Shri Jitin Prasada, Minister of State for Electronics & IT, traced the transformation of CSCs over the decade. In 2014, the country had only 83,000 CSCs. Today, that number has grown to 5.5 lakh, making it one of the largest digital service delivery networks in the world.
He acknowledged the role of over 74,000 women VLEs and emphasized the growing importance of AI, cybersecurity, and digital literacy, especially in agriculture, health, and education sectors.
“The resolve to take digital benefits to the last mile is being fulfilled through our VLEs. The next decade must be about harnessing emerging technologies for inclusive development,” he said.
CSC: A Digital Bridge to India’s Future
CSC SPV CEO Shri Sanjay Rakesh welcomed dignitaries and reiterated that CSCs have brought governance and commerce to rural doorsteps.
“There is no longer a need to visit cities for government services. From Aadhaar to banking, telemedicine to education, CSCs are empowering citizens where they live,” he remarked.
He also expressed confidence in further scaling digital inclusion under the Prime Minister’s vision of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas.”
Celebrating CSC Diwas Nationwide
CSC Day was marked with celebrations across India from July 1 to July 16, culminating in a two-day national event in Delhi. Top-performing VLEs were felicitated, and a special meeting of state IT Secretaries took place at Bharat Mandapam on July 15, to discuss the future of e-governance.
10 Years of Digital India: A Revolution at the Grassroots
Launched in 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Digital India mission has:
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Bridged the rural-urban digital divide
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Boosted financial inclusion
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Enabled e-governance and service delivery at scale
With CSC SPV at its core, Digital India today supports:
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Aadhaar enrollment and updates
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PAN, passport, and IRCTC services
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Banking, insurance, and pensions
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Education, telemedicine, and tele-law
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Agricultural and B2B e-commerce via Grameen eStore
India is now the third-largest digital economy globally, powered by inclusive and decentralized models like the CSC.
Source: PIB
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