As India celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Digital India initiative, it is time not only to measure progress in broadband penetration or digital payments, but to recognise the human spirit that has powered this transformation at the grassroots. At the heart of this revolution stands an unlikely yet formidable force: the Village Level Entrepreneur (VLE).
These VLEs, operating over 5.5 lakh Common Services Centres (CSCs) across the country, are the quiet architects of India’s digital journey. They have emerged not merely as service delivery agents, but as connective tissue between government and citizen, rural and urban, tradition and technology. In many ways, they are the Bharat Setu - the living bridge that holds up the promise of an inclusive, empowered, and self-reliant India.
From Service Providers to Changemakers
In the early years, VLEs were envisioned as rural service providers — helping people access Aadhaar enrolment, birth and death certificates, pension schemes, and utility payments. Over time, however, their role has evolved from passive intermediaries to active enablers of governance and enterprise.
Today, a VLE in a remote village does far more than print documents or fill out forms. They:
- Facilitate financial inclusion through Jan Dhan accounts, direct benefit transfers, and digital banking
- Promote telemedicine and doorstep health consultations in underserved regions
- Train rural youth and women in digital literacy through PMGDISHA and CSC Academy
- Enable agri-advisory, insurance, and e-commerce services through digital platforms
- Act as first responders and information hubs in times of crises — from COVID-19 to local disasters
Bharat Setu: The Trust Infrastructure of Rural India
In a time where technology is often seen as impersonal or alienating, VLEs stand out as trusted, familiar faces. They are embedded in the very communities they serve. Their proximity ensures not just access, but acceptance of digital services.
This trust capital is what makes VLEs more than service points — they are problem solvers, community anchors, and local innovators. They speak the local language, understand the socio-economic context, and often go beyond the call of duty to ensure that no one is left behind in the digital age.
Digital India 2.0: Unlocking the VLE as a Solution Node
As India moves towards the next phase of Digital India — focused on AI, data governance, climate action, and rural innovation — VLEs must be reimagined not as endpoints, but as starting points for co-creation and problem-solving. Here’s how:
Upskilling for Innovation: Train VLEs in digital tools like GIS, blockchain, AI-based advisory, and local language platforms so they can support smart agriculture, rural health, and e-learning ecosystems.
Enterprise Financing: Enable VLEs to incubate micro-enterprises, SHG product marketing, and carbon credit services by integrating them with credit, insurance, and logistics networks.
Citizen Data Stewards: Leverage VLEs as frontline data managers in AgriStack, health registries, and land records digitisation — helping ensure privacy, accuracy, and service targeting.
n Platforms for Climate and Inclusion: Empower them to disseminate information and solutions on water conservation, clean energy, afforestation, and resilience-building — making every village climate-ready.
A Nation of Problem Solvers Begins at the Last Mile
The narrative of the next 25 years of Amrit Kaal must not be built around top-down technology, but bottom-up transformation. In this journey, VLE’s are not just foot soldiers of governance — they are future-ready partners of progress.
Their evolution from kiosk operators to digital leaders, solution providers, and change agents marks one of the most remarkable stories of Digital India. It is a story of how inclusion breeds innovation, and how trust, when combined with technology, can move a nation.
Conclusion
As we mark a decade of Digital India, let us commit to building a future where every VLE is empowered & every village is connected. Let us strengthen the Bharat Setu — not just as infrastructure, but as a living, breathing embodiment of India’s digital democracy.
(The writer is Forester, Reformer, and Advocate for Regenerative Rural Transformation)
