Indian Government to set up 100,000 common service centres

New Delhi, Feb 17 : The government will set up 100,000 common service centres (CSC) across the country by March 2010, Communications and IT Minister A. Raja said here Tuesday.

“The government has sanctioned Rs.10,600 crore (Rs.106 billion) for e-governance projects out of which Rs.5,742 crore (Rs.57.42 billion) will be used for setting up CSCs,” Raja said after inaugurating a CSC here.

The CSCs is a government-run one-stop shop that offers web-enabled e-governance services in rural areas, including various application forms, certificates, and utility payments such as electricity, telephone and water bills.

Raja added that Rs.17.87 billion will be used for the state wide area network (SWAN) project.

Minister of State for Communications and IT Jyotiraditya Scindia, who was also present on the occasion, said about 25,195 CSCs were already up and running.

Raja said almost all CSCs will be set up in the public-private partnership mode and about 10,000 centres will be set up before March 31 this year.